Trump's Tariff on China - what's the truth?

I just hope that there's less Chinese goods at Walmart. Especially clothing and footwear. Cheap garbage!

Trumps tariffs on China affect ALL US electronic goods manufactured there, so iPhones, iPads, PCs, TVs stereos etc etc will ALL cost more to the consumer in the US and elsewhere in the world. Trump is holding off with his 10% tariff for electronic goods so that Christmas shopping is not affected.

So Yes, there is s huge affect to the US consumer.

IF Trump can achieve a trade agreement with China, the tariff situation will go away, or balance itself out. That might take a few years.

Right now, the tariffs are tit for tat...punitive on both sides. The Chinese have backed away from a trade agreement because at first, they didn't realize that they would be liable for lawsuits if they continue to steal our ideas through corporate or collegiate espionage. Now that they have figured that out, the people in China who are doing all the stealing don't think it's a good deal, and some of them are part of the Chinese government, like Huawei.

What will happen, in the short term, is that Americans will find other sources from which to buy their goods if the Chinese make it too expensive. Mexico, South America, and India all have manufacturing economies, as well as a few places in the middle east. We will find our bargains where we may. Retailers are not idiots. If they want to buy a Chinese widget and it cost 2 cents yesterday and today the Chinese want 25 cents, they will buy an Indian widget for 3 cents.

Our farmers will be supported by our government in the short term, while we search for other markets, and eventually, if the Chinese want to maintain a healthy economy, they will compromise and the tariffs will be levelled out on both sides. I have heard that China is already suffering.

I think the most important thing to remember, here, is that the United States buys a massive amount of stuff from China. It's huge. If we stop buying all their stuff, they are going to be badly hurt in the pocketbook. A trade agreement might look better and better. The Chinese, however, do NOT want to lose FACE or look weak.

I believe that the previous situation, where the Chinese tariffed US goods to death and only paid tiny tariffs or zero tariffs to import to us, was a very bad situation...VERY bad, and very unfair to us. But nobody wanted to do anything about it. Our businesses were starting to die, our economy was starting to look sick, and China was thriving and getting rich.

You sound very fearful, but I believe that things will eventually balance themselves out, and China and the US economies will both be healthier for it.

The Chinese government enjoys the full support of its people in its trade war against the United States. The Chinese have endured far worse than this, and because the Chinese government doesn't have any elections coming up, they're going to see their side through. The United States is at an inherent disadvantage because politicians are always seeking to get reelected (Not advocating for authoritarianism). The U.S. seeks a short term victory, while China is in it for the long haul. But with the looming recession, we all stand to lose.

As you say, those retailers and economists simply make claims. Definitive reckoning is necessary - data analysis.

"Has our country finally reached the point that we believe a demagogue over facts coming from the evidence provided by experts?"

We've been there since humans first began to form biased opinions. People don't want to be wrong, and they'll constantly ignore or reject experts, real statistics, and facts that negate what/who they want to believe. It's annoying and destructive, but there isn't much we can do about willful ignorance.

I want to thank everyone for both voting and making comments. It shows that you are aware of the intricacies of the global economy and the possible fallout from an economic war between the U.S. and China. More American citizens should be as concerned and searching for insight in this most important and complex issue.

*Hugs to you all* I'm proud of you guys!

I am afraid the vast majority of English people see your elected president as a buffoon. However, a similar guy has just become our Prime minister. At least I hope ours listens to the experts a bit more. There is more to leadership than appealing to the common man.

[quote]Has our country finally reached the point that we believe a demagogue over facts coming from the evidence provided by experts?[/quote]

Funny, people asked that with the last President, too.

I think the tradewar that the US started on China is really really bad for all economies in the world... And perhaps even the worst for the US itself....

The rest of the world will be more then happy to trade with China further developing the Chinese economy with the US isolating it's economy.

This combined with the deeply arrogant diplomacy towards longtime economic partners in Europe will further drive the economic center eastwards...

I believe the course the US is taking at this moment may look good to some frustrated people within the us, but long term it's likely to be devastating... But those effects will mostly be visible in 5 to 10 years or so.

Economies are like supertankers they move slow, they turn even slower, but they respond to very small nudges in a big way... Albeit with a lot of delay.

And now you got an inexperienced pilot making big erratic motions on a very sensitive steering wheel on a massive boat that responds in a couple of years or so

How come you did not mention China's tariffs - amazing never mentioned, also China has deliberately devalued the Chinese yuan

It has a big effect on American businesses, who are going bankrupt or shifting their production to Vietnam or Eastern Europe with all the associated risks and costs.

He is lying. This week he caved on his threat to impose tariffs because he didn't want to hurt Christmas shoppers. So he creates a problem. Denies it is paid by Americans. Then " fixes " the problem by admitting Americans are paying for it

The best part is you’re asking Qs. And not just being negative Nancy right off the bat..
there’s still hope in this word..

MAGA2020 😎👌

My understanding is that tariffs are a tax put on goods so that their price goes up- and it's paid by the American consumer, not by China.

And I'm led to believe that Trump is trying to have it both ways, saying that it's not going to affect the American consumer while delaying future tariffs so that we aren't affected during Christmas shopping.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/08/13/trump-delays-tariffs-duties-chinese-goods-postponed-until-december/1997200001/

The tarrifs are being paid by the consumer and significantly are negatively impacting farmers.

What is lost in the noise is that trade deficits really aren't a terrible thing. It means there is trade occurring which is better than no trading. Most GOP party believers would have been apoplectic heretofore with the interuption of free trade but are cowards in the face of Trumpism.

You are absolutely correct. We haven't gotten to 1938, get, and, I am not saying that he will kill 6 million people, but he is trying to lead the country the same way as his hero(s) have band do. If you havebthebtime and interest, spoiler it is over 800 pages, read Volker Ullrich's Hitler, The Rise. The parallels are astounding.

What are you studying in university?

to hell with china - stop importing from them and they will be crippled - maybe we can start making things here again - wow., what a thought

Trump needs an enemy.
He's been searching for one since before he took office !
The simplest way to stop China's influence is simply to ban all Chinese imports.

So why hasn't he ?

Trumps tariffs are being paid for by the American consumer - The reason he’s delayed the latest round of increases was because Americans would see price increase on things like clothing,mobile phones etc etc and realise he’s been telling porkies

Tariffs in this case are supposed to be temporary, bargaining chips. No one LIKES tariffs, but Trump thought better of tariffs than taking up the ass with unfair trade practices.

It took on the aura of 1933 Germany when Trump began siccing the racist U.S. public on selected groups based on religion and nationality. This is just more of the same.

@samanthasmokes will you be my SW Groupie

1938 german ss has been here along time

Trump is an idiot !

Trump’s not willing to release his tax returns which would prove one way or the other the state of his finances, so his claims of expertise are thin. We [b]do[/b] know about the various bankruptcies and business failures in his past, because they’re a matter of record. I’d believe the economists over Trump [b]any[/b] day of the week. Even if he discovered he was mistaken, he’d never admit to it.