Obama the Protectionist: Tire Tariffs! Corporate Welfare!

[TER]

I see. Well, I don't believe in the let's-hope-things-get-worse-so-it-reaches-critical-mass strategy for liberty.

+1

[TER]

This is both historically and economically incorrect.

The massive, omnipotent state we suffer under now got it's start post WWII with personal income taxation withholding, payroll taxes and corporate income taxes.

Tariffs, as a constitutional means of funding government at the federal level make up less than 7 percent of all revenue.

And what percentage of wars?

[TER]

Flat tariffs would be fine, but not managed trade and variable tariffs for different products. I think this is a bad move, and sets a bad precedent. We don't want to start having trade wars with countries, and this will turn into a tit for tat quickly.

My concern as well.

[nobody's_hero]

And what percentage of wars?

Wars are typically funded by borrowing money and/or inflating currency (if that's what you were referring to by asking about the "percentage of wars"). For that matter, the Federal government doesn't need an income tax, or a sales tax, etc.

The State has a few 'unlimited' resources for which to get money. It really does not need the tariff on tires to get funds (as this will only make a very, very minute dent in our deficit, negligible even), so for that reason alone this action is suspect—we can assume that Obama did this solely for the benefit of the American tire industries. It is safe to say that this particular tariff is indeed a "protectionist" tariff.

But, before the civil war, there were "flat" or "revenue tariffs" which funded much of our nation's early government. If there were some way to gradually get back to that, and end the income tax, I could see supporting it.

Right now though, we should probably be looking for ways to de-fund our rapidly growing government.

I do try to look on the bright side though, and I really do have my fingers crossed that China will stop loaning us money over this (though, it seems really hard to piss China off enough to do that, because apparently they still think we are a wealthy nation capable of paying them back, lol lol), or better yet, dump the dollar.

I have noticed that as the economy has improved, Ron Paul has been spending less time in front of the cameras, and Americans, now with their false sense that we are well off, have turned their eyes on more government programs for which to spend money on, or worse, stopped caring altogether. People listen better on how to fix the economy when the economy is clearly broken (like when the DOW drops hundreds of points a day for several days in a row), than when the economy has the illusion of working properly (like when the DJIA climbs a dozen points and the media talking heads start frothing at the mouth over how fantastic our economy is doing).

As far a trade war goes, U.S. industries are doomed anyway, so I don't see this as much of a threat. China's industries are becoming more and more productive, and that nation is becoming more and more self-reliant. —Not the case here in America. We are, unfortunately, the Americans on Peter Schiff's "Island" who eat everything but do no work.

[angelatc]

Best thing he's done. Tariffs are the only tax that does not subsidize imports and ship our jobs away.

And it's constitutional. But make no mistake - he did this to protect the unions, not the economy.

[tnvoter]

what an idiot. if that's true then China should place tariffs on america for human rights abuses. like killing over 1 million innocent iraqis/afghans in useless wars. or excessive police brutality, exploitation of cheap illegal mexican labor etc.... To bad America is full of hypocritical idiots, the people in this country are a waste of space.

Waste of space because of a different opinion than yours? Are you 12? At least keep a civil discussion before stooping yourself.

[Objectivist]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...103957_pf.html

NO, Union PAYOFFS!

[Anti Federalist]

Bump

[PAF]

Bump

Trump tariffs, USMCA forced unionization, I likewise bump to hear the excuses/reasons.

[r3volution 3.0]

Trump tariffs, USMCA forced unionization, I likewise bump to hear the excuses/reasons.

Trump's trying to fight the globalists with the tariffs so...[blah blah derp derp].

^excuse

It was mindless tribalism then, and it's mindless tribalism now; no one really cares about economic policy.

^reason

[axiomata]

"Isolationism and corporatism engender protectionism and trade wars. They prompt scapegoating: blaming foreigners, illegal immigrants, ethnic minorities, and too often freedom itself for the predictable events and suffering that results." Ron Paul - End the Fed

Now lets put this to bed.

Who is this Ron Paul guy?