- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Tariffs make sense in a world of predatory mercantilism
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:07 am to Flats
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:07 am to Flats
quote:
Without looking anything up, I'm guessing we import a lot more from Kenya than they import from us. We're wealthy, they're poor. We have 5-6 times (I did have to look that up) their population. If we buy a bunch of delicious coffee from Kenya and they still barely have enough money to buy anything from us, why is that bad? It's a pretty predictable outcome, and one you see on a smaller scale every day.
Depends on what tariffs and trade barriers they placed on us.
1
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:07 am to BugAC
quote:
Why aren't trade imbalances "bad"?
If your currency is strong, and your economy is strong, they are more a sign of the prosperity of your nation. That's good.
quote:
Why is Trump's trade policies "suboptimal"?
Ignoring the friction and volatility of markets, the goal seems to be redistribution from productive areas of our economy to unproductive areas.
This is the sort of protectionism seen abroad that keep these countries from our economic level. Now we are copying them.
quote:
And how have they been "proven to be inferior"?
The US is the most dominant economic power and they keep sliding compared to us.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:08 am to Flats
Arguments Against Trade Imbalances:
Debt Accumulation:
Persistent trade deficits can lead to a country accumulating debt, potentially making it vulnerable to economic shocks and requiring it to borrow more in the future.
Job Losses:
Some argue that trade deficits can lead to job losses in domestic industries as imports become cheaper and more competitive, potentially shifting production to countries with lower labor costs.
Economic Dependence:
A country heavily reliant on foreign borrowing to fund its trade deficit may become economically dependent on other countries, potentially impacting its economic stability and national security.
Currency Depreciation:
A constant outflow of currency to pay for imports may lead to currency depreciation, potentially making imports cheaper but exports more expensive, which can further exacerbate the trade deficit.
And here is a big one:
"Economic Colonization":
Some economists argue that persistent trade deficits can allow foreign investors to acquire assets in the deficit-running country, potentially leading to a situation where foreign entities control a significant portion of the country's economy.
Debt Accumulation:
Persistent trade deficits can lead to a country accumulating debt, potentially making it vulnerable to economic shocks and requiring it to borrow more in the future.
Job Losses:
Some argue that trade deficits can lead to job losses in domestic industries as imports become cheaper and more competitive, potentially shifting production to countries with lower labor costs.
Economic Dependence:
A country heavily reliant on foreign borrowing to fund its trade deficit may become economically dependent on other countries, potentially impacting its economic stability and national security.
Currency Depreciation:
A constant outflow of currency to pay for imports may lead to currency depreciation, potentially making imports cheaper but exports more expensive, which can further exacerbate the trade deficit.
And here is a big one:
"Economic Colonization":
Some economists argue that persistent trade deficits can allow foreign investors to acquire assets in the deficit-running country, potentially leading to a situation where foreign entities control a significant portion of the country's economy.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:08 am to BugAC
quote:Yep. Just like we need to tax the rich to solve income inequality.
Tariffs are not about rejecting trade; they are about rejecting the illusion that trade, under current conditions, is fair or efficient. If we want to revive American manufacturing, rebuild strategic industries, and reduce our dangerous dependence on hostile or manipulative regimes, we need to rethink trade from the ground up.
Bring on the central planned socialism!
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:11 am to Taxing Authority
quote:
Bring on the central planned socialism!
There it is again. The old "USA has always been a Socialist Nation".
Can you even do better than that tired old argument?
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:11 am to Turbeauxdog
quote:
Our blind eye toward mercantilism is why we are much worse than we should be.
We're already dominant with no close #2. There is no competition for our currency. We have the largest military in the world. Nobody competes with our combination of manufacturing output with per capita value of that output.
I don't get how much further from the pack y'all think is the natural slot for America, or how this proposed devolution in the world will help us long-term.
quote:
If we're playing hypo games, you're gonna lose on those too.
If we're making shite up, no.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:12 am to BCreed1
quote:
Depends on what tariffs and trade barriers they placed on us.
Wrong, the discussion is about whether or not a trade deficit is inherently bad. A lot of you seem to think it is.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:12 am to BCreed1
quote:
There it is again. The old "USA has always been a Socialist Nation".
Tariffs as a taxation method are not the same thing as using tariffs as a redistribution method.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:13 am to Flats
quote:
Wrong, the discussion is about whether or not a trade deficit is inherently bad.
I responded to that already.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:14 am to BCreed1
quote:Da fuq? I quoted the OP
There it is again. The old "USA has always been a Socialist Nation".
Can you even do better than that tired old argument?
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:15 am to BCreed1
quote:
I responded to that already.
Weakly.
Debt Accumulation:
Public debt is not directly related to trade imbalances.
Job Losses:
This ignores the job gains at the higher-end of the economy
Economic Dependence:
We don't rely on foreign borrowing. Our public debt is primarily owned by the country.
Currency Depreciation:
Has the USD experienced depreciation?
And here is a big one:
"Economic Colonization":
Doesn't exist in the US today on any scale.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:15 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
quote:
There it is again. The old "USA has always been a Socialist Nation".
Tariffs as a taxation method are not the same thing as using tariffs as a redistribution method.
Oh BS. That's why we have always had tariffs. And if these tariffs are socialist actions, then the one in the past were.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:15 am to BCreed1
quote:
I responded to that already.
So in my hypothetical, let's say Kenya has no tariffs on US goods but we'll still have a huge deficit with them because we're wealthy and they're poor. Is that inherently bad?
This post was edited on 4/3/25 at 9:16 am
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:17 am to Taxing Authority
quote:
Da fuq? I quoted the OP
And I quoted you:
Bring on the central planned socialism!
You few will never be able to reconcile the belief that these are socialist tariffs but all the ones we had before were not.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:20 am to Flats
quote:
So in my hypothetical, let's say Kenya has no tariffs on US goods but we'll still have a huge deficit with them because we're wealthy and they're poor. Is that inherently bad?
No.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:21 am to Flats
quote:
So in my hypothetical, let's say Kenya has no tariffs on US goods but we'll still have a huge deficit with them because we're wealthy and they're poor. Is that inherently bad?
I'm interested to hear an answer to this. Because the chart showing deficits was made by doing (imports-exports)/imports, and applying a tariff based on half that value, literally any country that does not buy as much from the US as the US buys from them would have tariffs placed on them. Are we expecting Taiwan and Bangladesh to import the same value in dollars as we import from them?
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:23 am to tide06
quote:
There’s a factor that isn’t addressed here: the entire global financial paradigm only works as long as the dominant nation can float deficits using fiat currency. Once they hit a debt service wall as we have because the game is entering its terminal phase it can only be continued with a reset of some sort.
Everyone ignoring this point is the Mayor from Jaws.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:24 am to BCreed1
quote:
No.
Then I don't know why you took issue with my post. We're in complete agreement. This is what you responded to:
quote:
They can be be bad, they're not bad by definition.
My question was to the OP, maybe he'll respond. He seems to think they're just bad, period.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:28 am to SlowFlowPro
You should ask the people of Pittsburgh that question.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 9:30 am to SlowFlowPro
Was the Chinee dumping of cheap steel just a trade imbalance?
Page 2 of 4
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News