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Can we get even one simple thing straight about Trump's trade war?

James972 said:
It's not Trumps trade war! China started the war long ago; now Trump is fighting back for the American workers who elected him!! The war can end tomorrow if China simply agrees to free trade, i.e., no tariffs on imports or exports.

Love the way liberals always blame America first!!
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I think you are conflating 'trade deficit' with 'trade war'.

I did not negotiate any trade policy between US corporations, China and the US. Whatever restrictions US corporations agreed to was done with the full co-operation of the US businesses.

US businesses and corporations want so badly into the Chinese market...they are willing to give up what they are willing to ...to get in. I had zero say in what US businesses does. They do not consulte me on their business plans.

US-Foreign Trade is a constant and ongoing deliberation. Once agian...the US Government does not notify me on the negotiations and deals.

I do know enough to know that American businesses are the focus of American trade deals. I am not.

We have a trade deficit with China because we Americans buy a whole lot of cheap items from China. I have way more expendible cash than the average Chinese consumer. Also the Chinese consumer have far more cheaper choices in China than more expensive US products. That is why US companies want in to manufacture and sell in China.

Every nation wants to protect their nation's business and economy. That is why we have international trade deals.

Whether China has or had the upper hand in trade with the US does not mean it is warranted to have a trade war with China to press the issue.

Tariffs existed on both sides...What Trump did in announcing a trade war, gearing up a trade war and calling out China while imposing massive tariffs is not the best way to get results.

So this is Trump's Trade War...because he said it was.The American companies harmed by Trump's trading style are mounting up. Trump's experiment is still on-going and the tally of failure is still unclear.

Donald Trump says trade wars are ‘good, and easy to win.’

Americans are still waiting to see the good in a Trump trade war and still waiting on the easy.
 
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Margaret Thatcher once said that "The trouble with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money."

Goat knew that first.

MB
 
This starts with Nixon.


So very much does.

What we used to do, is swap stuff for hegemony. When tv makers wanted to complain to Nixon that Japan was screwing them 7 ways to Sunday, he wouldn't even talk to them. He was willing to swap business for hegemony.

Which was manageable before China. It was the slow rot that happens to all empires, but it was slow.

China saw the demographic handwriting on the wall. They were going to grow faster than their food supply. This is a recurring pattern for them, and they didn't want another collapse into chaos and civil war.

So they put all their cards on the table, and imitated an Asian form of capitalism. It's actually not much different from what we did after the Civil War, but it does have an Asian flavor.

A number of things went wrong on our side of the fence. Business got way too much power in the 80s (still do). Which meant a lot of things that resulted in a mass exodus of jobs to China.

Bottom line, we did this to ourselves. China just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Going over all the ways we screwed up is beyond what is reasonable in forum post. For me, that is. You want to learn, don't let me stop you. Read Stiglitz, Jane Jacobs, etc.

Bottom line: trade wars are nuts. You manage trade, something we have been utter crap at. It made the Waltons billionaires, but screwed the country. Trump has less than no clue about how to do that. You need to govern a country, not strip mine it.
 
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Mountainmanbob said:
America is going to be coming out of all of this with -- much better deals.
Already EU, Britain, Mexico and Canada say that they are willing to work with us.
Guess you didn't catch how fast the newly elected Mexican president kissed up to us?
M-Bob
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We shall see, whether we come out better or worse for it is going to be all Trump's to own, he cannot only claim it if by some miracle it is good for the Nation and blame others if it does harm..
 
Mountainmanbob said:
Our Trump happy Mountain goats want to make you a bet.
They bet that they have much more than you do and you wish for them to give you some.
M-Bob
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lol. Tax Cut Economics is simple socialism and usually referred to as Income Redistribution. Tax policy that benefits the wealthiest the most, is simply redistributing wealth.
 
1750Texan said:
Tariffs existed on both sides...What Trump did in announcing a trade war,.
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yes China's trade war imposed tariffs, and now Trumps has announced his trade war tariffs too. The hope is get free trade ie no tariffs. Do you understand now?
 
late said:
Bottom line: trade wars are nuts.
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not for the Chinese who have been winning their trade war against us and have enjoyed 8% GDP for 40 years
 
Finally!

An American president is finally fighting back.

Obama was good in some ways, but he obviously lacked at least one testicle.....maybe both.

Praise Gawd!!!! It's a miracle!!! Suddenly America's got balls!!!
 
Vox said:
Finally!

An American president is finally fighting back.

Obama was good in some ways, but he obviously lacked at least one testicle.....maybe both.

Praise Gawd!!!! It's a miracle!!! Suddenly America's got balls!!!
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Yes, Trump got elected with huge help from Democrats who lost their jobs to China while pretty boy Obama was being a sleepy metro sexual in the White House. Now Democrats cant stand that Trump is doing the obvious that they clean didn't do for the deplorables who once were their base!
 
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