Senate republicans give Obama new powers, but they are still classified.

[Shadowrider]

One thing that I've wondered ever since NAFTA. They always tout the trade agreements as good for the U.S., the GDP has went up on every one of them, blah, blah... They also state that tariffs on our goods go away or down with these agreements and that our exports go up because of them, as did Langford yesterday. That was the key takeaway I got from it. So if that's the case why is almost every single thing we buy foreign made now? Go into Home Depot, or Lowes and try to buy a sink faucet that's made in the USA. The fluorescent light that I just got to put in my garage? China. You want to buy a U.S. Made table saw, drill, or spray gun? Good luck because you won't find one to buy that's made here at all. These are just basic examples of basic goods. I'm not buying the "it's good for jobs" mantra.

Instead of these trade agreements why don't we just double or triple the tariff on goods from countries that we import from? We are the richest country on earth and the tariff should reflect the disparity should it not? The playing field would get leveled real quick, but that wouldn't be "civilized" and would make them cry I guess. We can get upset and vote them out but, it's just too broken to fix.

 

[donner]

One thing that I've wondered ever since NAFTA. They always tout the trade agreements as good for the U.S., the GDP has went up on every one of them, blah, blah... They also state that tariffs on our goods go away or down with these agreements and that our exports go up because of them, as did Langford yesterday. That was the key takeaway I got from it. So if that's the case why is almost every single thing we buy foreign made now? Go into Home Depot, or Lowes and try to buy a sink faucet that's made in the USA. The fluorescent light that I just got to put in my garage? China. You want to buy a U.S. Made table saw, drill, or spray gun? Good luck because you won't find one to buy that's made here at all. These are just basic examples of basic goods. I'm not buying the "it's good for jobs" mantra.

Instead of these trade agreements why don't we just double or triple the tariff on goods from countries that we import from? We are the richest country on earth and the tariff should reflect the disparity should it not? The playing field would get leveled real quick, but that wouldn't be "civilized" and would make them cry I guess. We can get upset and vote them out but, it's just too broken to fix.

Or, they'd just double and triple the tariff on goods that we do export. Or raise prices on things we don't produce here (electronics, for example) or raise prices on things we can't get here.

We are rich, but like it or not, it's a world economy. Nothing we do would be in a vacuum.

 

[dennishoddy]

One thing that I've wondered ever since NAFTA. They always tout the trade agreements as good for the U.S., the GDP has went up on every one of them, blah, blah... They also state that tariffs on our goods go away or down with these agreements and that our exports go up because of them, as did Langford yesterday. That was the key takeaway I got from it. So if that's the case why is almost every single thing we buy foreign made now? Go into Home Depot, or Lowes and try to buy a sink faucet that's made in the USA. The fluorescent light that I just got to put in my garage? China. You want to buy a U.S. Made table saw, drill, or spray gun? Good luck because you won't find one to buy that's made here at all. These are just basic examples of basic goods. I'm not buying the "it's good for jobs" mantra.

Instead of these trade agreements why don't we just double or triple the tariff on goods from countries that we import from? We are the richest country on earth and the tariff should reflect the disparity should it not? The playing field would get leveled real quick, but that wouldn't be "civilized" and would make them cry I guess. We can get upset and vote them out but, it's just too broken to fix.

I said long ago we need to match import tariffs unilaterally. At one time, Japan had a 100% import tax on American cars that were imported into Japan. We had zero on Japanese imports coming into the US.
We whipped their butts in WWII, but they sure whipped ours financially.
Now they are all made here in the US, so the argument is pretty much mute these days.

 

[Shadowrider]

I said long ago we need to match import tariffs unilaterally. At one time, Japan had a 100% import tax on American cars that were imported into Japan. We had zero on Japanese imports coming into the US.
We whipped their butts in WWII, but they sure whipped ours financially.
Now they are all made here in the US, so the argument is pretty much mute these days.

They may be ASSEMBLED here, but the parts are produced elsewhere for the most part. That's another *****, they get to say it's made here when reality is not so much. No difference with the Big 3 either. It applies to basically every industry almost.

 

[Dale00]

"Money is the mother's milk of politics. You can build dams to try to stop it flowing to them but it will just find a new path."

 

[farmerbyron]

One thing that I've wondered ever since NAFTA. They always tout the trade agreements as good for the U.S., the GDP has went up on every one of them, blah, blah... They also state that tariffs on our goods go away or down with these agreements and that our exports go up because of them, as did Langford yesterday. That was the key takeaway I got from it. So if that's the case why is almost every single thing we buy foreign made now? Go into Home Depot, or Lowes and try to buy a sink faucet that's made in the USA. The fluorescent light that I just got to put in my garage? China. You want to buy a U.S. Made table saw, drill, or spray gun? Good luck because you won't find one to buy that's made here at all. These are just basic examples of basic goods. I'm not buying the "it's good for jobs" mantra.

Instead of these trade agreements why don't we just double or triple the tariff on goods from countries that we import from? We are the richest country on earth and the tariff should reflect the disparity should it not? The playing field would get leveled real quick, but that wouldn't be "civilized" and would make them cry I guess. We can get upset and vote them out but, it's just too broken to fix.

You can find American made but it will always be higher in price than nearly everything else available. Normaly at a higher quality. But, you would not be able to buy one of everything and would have to prioritize your purchases without international trade making more goods more abundant and cheaper. International trade results in things like iPads and iPhones being so common that even the poorest among us are connected in ways the upper class of 10-20 years ago could only dream of. It's easy to decry the perceived loss of jobs while over looking the benefits of cheaper goods available to all. Imposing high tariffs on imports would only result in a trade war that would disparingly affect the poor with dramatically higher costs for goods that are used everyday.

 

[Shadowrider]

You can find American made but it will always be higher in price than nearly everything else available. Normaly at a higher quality. But, you would not be able to buy one of everything and would have to prioritize your purchases without international trade making more goods more abundant and cheaper. International trade results in things like iPads and iPhones being so common that even the poorest among us are connected in ways the upper class of 10-20 years ago could only dream of. It's easy to decry the perceived loss of jobs while over looking the benefits of cheaper goods available to all. Imposing high tariffs on imports would only result in a trade war that would disparingly affect the poor with dramatically higher costs for goods that are used everyday.

Of the items I listed at HD or Lowes, show me one that is made in the USA. Just one...

I agree with you if you are talking full on industrial grade. But consider this. Once upon a time you could walk into Sears and buy any tool or appliance you wanted and know it was coming from somewhere in America. Now you can't find one that does.

Trade war? So what? That means we go back to making our own stuff? I'll pay $150 for a Milwaukee drill if it's made here with old school quality. The one in my tool box is Chinese.

 

[dennishoddy]

Of the items I listed at HD or Lowes, show me one that is made in the USA. Just one...

I agree with you if you are talking full on industrial grade. But consider this. Once upon a time you could walk into Sears and buy any tool or appliance you wanted and know it was coming from somewhere in America. Now you can't find one that does.

Trade war? So what? That means we go back to making our own stuff? I'll pay $150 for a Milwaukee drill if it's made here with old school quality. The one in my tool box is Chinese.

Buddy and I talked about this today. He is looking for a garden tiller, and can't figure why his weed eater won't run after a year, even though he took proper maintenance before storing it.
The stuff we have to buy now is throw away. Its not designed nor intended to last several seasons.
My Grandpa had a cast iron block B&D tiller that he and 7 children used to work their gardens for 10 or more years that I can remember. When it was hard to start, it got rebuilt for a few bucks.

Now when they don't start, we throw them in the trash and get another one.
American built meant quality back in the day. We sure don't have that now.

 

[Shadowrider]

True Dennis.

But my point is that hypothetically speaking, housing is pretty basic to everyone's needs for survival right? I picked housing, tools etc. because it's about as basic as you can get, but it spans to basically everything. Let's say that one needs a new house and has decided to build it himself because he has the time and ability. He needs some tools. He can't go buy all of the tools required that are solely sourced in the USA. A few of them yes, but not all, not even close to all. It just cannot be done. So there's a foreign dependence and it's not oil. Most don't even think about this stuff but that doesn't mean it's not a problem.

 

[dennishoddy]

True Dennis.

But my point is that hypothetically speaking, housing is pretty basic to everyone's needs for survival right? I picked housing, tools etc. because it's about as basic as you can get, but it spans to basically everything. Let's say that one needs a new house and has decided to build it himself because he has the time and ability. He needs some tools. He can't go buy all of the tools required that are solely sourced in the USA. A few of them yes, but not all, not even close to all. It just cannot be done. So there's a foreign dependence and it's not oil. Most don't even think about this stuff but that doesn't mean it's not a problem.

I absolutely agree.
I will have to say some of the best machined pipe fittings I've ever seen came from china sadly. Even precision class 5 Timken thrust bearings come from there now.
We will be a car sales person economy in the future. All service work, no manufacturing.