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What is a trade war? 101

Leaving politics right out of this, lets talk about how trade wars work. Then you be the judge of who wins and who loses. (Economics is kind of my thing)
If a country wants to protect an industry, say like steel or Aluminium, it has several options.. One, to place a tariff (a charge or tax) on any imported steel. Two, to set quota limits requiring a licence to import it. Three to subsidize the local people to allow them to sell their stuff cheaper. (Remember Farm subsidies)
Now if a nation does any one these, the oversea export country is likely to pick another product the US is selling them and do the same thing, So.. Who wins? Not the consumers.. Either way, they end up paying more for stuff made from Steel and Aluminium, and not the people trying to sell their other products, say food, which is already costing the consumers money in farm subsidies and now they still cant sell, against the other guys tariff..
So who wins?? The governments at either end, pocketing the tariff money...
That's why no sensible person WANTS a trade war.... There ARE NO WINNERS!!!
snowbelt · 61-69, M
Haven't you heard? The Tweeter-in-Chief says that Trade Wars will Make America Great Again and are easy to win!

I've never seen a winner in a trade war.
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Lets not be too hard on FLOTUS.. I'm sure he seemed like a good idea at the time.@room101
room101 · 51-55, M
@whowasthatmaskedman Good idea and trump.........an oxymoron if ever there was one. With the emphasis on moron
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
True.. Of course, he would make a virtue out of being the greatest Moron ever.@room101
Ynotisay · M
Good post. But some people win.
Like Carl Icahn, a billionaire and former special adviser to Trump.
Turns out he sold $31.3 million of shares in a company heavily dependent on steel imports. Right before Trump’s tariff announcement.
He won.
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
This is actually THE telling point of the whole question. You dont "win" on a see saw. when one is up the other is down.. There is no real "growth" happening at all, as the money is being transferred from one place to another as a measure of the same wealth that was there last year, minus Wall Streets commissions.. So the total economic "pie" is actually shrinking..@snowbelt
Ynotisay · M
@snowbelt I'm tired. I'm very, very tired.
Ynotisay · M
@whowasthatmaskedman You nailed it. Two words prove it. Tax Reform.
Cierzo · M
With tariffs the consumer loses in the short term as prices get higher, but since more imported goods will be replaced by local ones, it means more jobs and economic growth in the long term.
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whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
And this money is coming from where???@TotalMiss
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firefall · 61-69, M
Well, domestic producers tend to make out like a bandit when they're protected, so there are a few winners, at the cost of everyone else.
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whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Manufacturing.. America manufactures very little it can export, and it imports a lot. And mining in so many industries is either dying or in oversupply globally. Your steel and aluminium need protection to survive..
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Crusher69 · 61-69, M
Free trade is the only way - encourages industries to adapt and innovate and efficiency - if you cant compete you evolve or basically die. Protecting industries just distorts the economy and allows for lazy business to survive. Here in NZ it is pretty open re trade.....
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whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Backs slowly toward the door, smiling and not making eye contact@TotalMiss
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Ummm. I'm not an economist, but it seems like the actual winners will be the people bribing and taking bribes to get around the tarriffs or who can figure out how to profit from the losses somehow.
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@TotalMiss It's not his intentions that worry me, as much as the price we'll pay for his methods.
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Rusham · M
I found this article interesting.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade/asia-fears-trade-war-after-trump-plans-hefty-steel-aluminum-tariffs-idUSKCN1GE0AN
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Agreed. See how trade then gets tied to national Security issues? They start to differentiate between allies and others.. Its worth noting, though not a true comparison, that the Japanese attack on the US started life as a trade war between the US and Japan.@Rusham
lorne13 · 61-69, M
@TotalMiss its a matter of using common sense a country can trade help its citizens make some money or it can slow down trade and reduce their income
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Yes.. They have two broad weapons for this. interest rates, to stimulate spending and investments, and economic activity, where the government builds and employees directly, such as infrastructure. Of course, that has to be borrowed to pay for, or money has to be printed. @lorne13
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Rusham · M
[i]lmao[/i] @SW-User
SW-User
It honestly looked like you had torpedo boobs @Rusham 😳
Rusham · M
Hehe. I have a passion for collecting pics that look like something else on first glance. @SW-User
lorne13 · 61-69, M
Trumps fake government will lose a lot of what they collect paying fines for setting up illegal tariffs i suspect
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whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Theres the bully.. And its "Was" You left the game.. Learn to play on your own, fine by us, or play by our rules next time..@TotalMiss
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whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Sure.. Say hello to the Romans for me.@TotalMiss
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