Car Manufacturers Howling about new US Tariffs and Chinese retaliation

[Rogar]

Too bad Tesla cars keep catching on fire. It could be an opportunity for them. I think their Model 3 is in the same category and possibly would compete with the mid-priced luxury cars like BMW and maybe Mercedes. Trump seems to start his deal making at the extremes and this is a bold move, but I'd expect him to "make a better deal" if it starts to show in the economy. The U.S. is the largest consumer of goods in the global market and that is a decent bargaining chip. 45 is spinning all sort of dials that affect the economy and I don't think anyone will know the outcome until the numbers come out.

Some poll predicting the economy will be the overriding issue in the 2020 election, even above immigration. It's still a long ways off, but I've read a couple of pieces saying his approval rating are rising due to the strong economy. People may have moral issues around immigration or grave concerns about the environment, but assuming no wars are taking sons away, people will vote from their wallets.

[Williamsmith]

Too bad Tesla cars keep catching on fire. It could be an opportunity for them. I think their Model 3 is in the same category and possibly would compete with the mid-priced luxury cars like BMW and maybe Mercedes. Trump seems to start his deal making at the extremes and this is a bold move, but I'd expect him to "make a better deal" if it starts to show in the economy. The U.S. is the largest consumer of goods in the global market and that is a decent bargaining chip. 45 is spinning all sort of dials that affect the economy and I don't think anyone will know the outcome until the numbers come out.

Some poll predicting the economy will be the overriding issue in the 2020 election, even above immigration. It's still a long ways off, but I've read a couple of pieces saying his approval rating are rising due to the strong economy. People may have moral issues around immigration or grave concerns about the environment, but assuming no wars are taking sons away, people will vote from their wallets.

Im about as middle America as it gets and I ain’t complaining. The people who work with their hands have gotten a boost. Those are the people that elected Trump and will continue to support him. Even if it comes to military action somewhere, I think he would create this huge war machine with military production at home and the support would remain. The political establishment created the platform for Trump. And they still don’t understand it. In many places, the man is a hero.

[dmc]

Just a serious question. How many decisions about making products outside the US were made by corporations who were held accountable to generate a profit by US shareholders and other investors? Basically, what or who drove the industries to move overseas or, more to the point now, how many products are made locally by robots in the US using prefab parts made elsewhere?

As a shareholder I want the best return on my investment. If this means using cheap labor outside the US ,that is fine. But as a citizen I’d rather see the work done here. So if it becomes more expensive to move overseas and the work returns here, that is also fine.

[Williamsmith]

As a shareholder I want the best return on my investment. If this means using cheap labor outside the US ,that is fine. But as a citizen I’d rather see the work done here. So if it becomes more expensive to move overseas and the work returns here, that is also fine.

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As a shareholder, aren’t you also co-conspirators in the corporate immorality of overseas exploitation of human laborers? And the consequences of marginalizing laborers here at home.....doesn’t that have to be the direct consequence of adhering to a strict “return on investment” policy. After all, slave owners had that system maximized but it turned out to have infinite unintended consequences.

[Teacher Terry]

So glad I don’t live somewhere that Trump is a hero. It really boggles the mind.

[Rogar]

Im about as middle America as it gets and I ain’t complaining. The people who work with their hands have gotten a boost. Those are the people that elected Trump and will continue to support him. Even if it comes to military action somewhere, I think he would create this huge war machine with military production at home and the support would remain. The political establishment created the platform for Trump. And they still don’t understand it. In many places, the man is a hero.

My home town was once known as the Pittsburgh of the West before the blast furnaces shut down a few decades ago. Started by J.D. Rockerfeller, it's now a subsidiary of a Russian company (I wonder how the tariffs work there). They still smelt and make a little rail, wire, and such but it's a shadow of it's former self and the town hasn't recovered. One recent list put it in the top 20 worst cities to live in the US due to poor wages and high unemployment. I'm not getting any news from there that there are any brighter prospects. Other than a few dribbles and isolated incidences I've not heard of any big changes in Detroit or the coal mining regions, or other traditional manufacturing. I imagine they are desperate enough to hang onto Trump's false promises and token tax cuts. But it's early.

[frugal-one]

He is a moron.

++ 1

[ToomuchStuff]

But maybe it would be nice if more things were made in the USA. I can remember when Wallmart bought made in the USA products, but that just shows how old I’m getting.

Walmart, Sears, as well as others. A lot of that seemed to go away, around the time of several lawsuits about what made in the USA meant. Stanley tool works verses the FTC springs to mind, where Stanley tried to claim since over 50% of the cost of the product, was the final finishing and labor from this country, they should be able to claim made in the USA.

[dmc]

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As a shareholder, aren’t you also co-conspirators in the corporate immorality of overseas exploitation of human laborers? And the consequences of marginalizing laborers here at home.....doesn’t that have to be the direct consequence of adhering to a strict “return on investment” policy. After all, slave owners had that system maximized but it turned out to have infinite unintended consequences.

Yes, along with anyone who owns any stock. If you have any retirement funds invested or pension plan I’m sure they all own a percentage of stocks in their portfolios.

Of coarse those overseas jobs have probably still raised the standard of living there. They just are not our neighbors. And the other co-conspirators are those who demand the cheapest product with no requard to where it was produced.

[Williamsmith]

Yes, along with anyone who owns any stock. If you have any retirement funds invested or pension plan I’m sure they all own a percentage of stocks in their portfolios.

Of coarse those overseas jobs have probably still raised the standard of living there. They just are not our neighbors. And the other co-conspirators are those who demand the cheapest product with no requard to where it was produced.

When you are done making stockholders and retirees rich, spoiling the overseas workforce and bending over backwards for the whining America cheapskate consumer .....it’s a wonder there is any money left over for the hard working businessman.