life is hard, life is harder when you are poor..

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by whell

I can see you're a big fan of Chinese - made goods.

Look, you misunderstand me. I think that if we start putting tariffs on Chinese - made goods, two things will likely happen:

- Inflation of the cost of consumer goods, because the tariff will be reflected in the price we pay for goods.
- The Chinese stop buying US bonds, and likely start to unload some of the bonds that they have.

Neither of the above is an attractive scenario. Also, tariffs are generally used when there is a particular industry that the government believes is in need of protection. I'm not sure that there is consumer good production left in this country that needs protecting. I would also hesitate to invest in manufacturing capacity to satisfy demand that was created by a tariff, given the possibility that such a tariff could disappear with the stroke of a politician's pen.

I think there are other areas that we can, and do, compete. I also think that there are other ways that consumer goods could be produced competitively in this country if other barriers were removed: regulations, taxation, etc.

SO if tarriffs are such a bad thing you had better talk to the Chinese. There is a company in Wisconson (I think) that builds those tall cranes you see on building sites. They were selling them to the Chinese, at least until the Chinese reverse engineered one and started building their own. Then the Chinese government slapped a 30% duty on the American cranes.

This is not a trade war? Sure as hell looks like one to me.

And no, I don't like Chinese products because they are garbage. Last year I upgraded to an electric start emergency generator. Could have had any of a dozen Chinese knockoffs for under $1,000. I bought an American made one for just under $1900. Why, because when the power fails I want something I can trust.