Canada, Greenland, Mexico, etc - USA Tariffs / Trade War commencing March 2025 #4

[IzzyBlanche]

I think Republicans will soon vote to take away the tariff ability of trump. If he vetoes it, they'll bring it back with a 3/4 majority. If they take away his tariff ability that will box in his ability to cause trouble. Of course then he could try and start wars like with Canada. But if he does that, I think he will be impeached by Republicans and Democrats alike. I think Republicans should get on board sooner rather than later to impeach Trump, because they longer they leave them up there the more trouble he's going to cause. It's crazy that he was ever allowed to run to begin with.

I hope you are right, but so far all I've seen is Republicans willing to let him burn it all down out of fear that he'll turn against them. They could have impeached him and been rid of him forever--they had two, TWO! opportunities to do so, but no. Too afraid DJT would sic his rabid masses on them.

Profiles in spinelessness. JMO

 

[IzzyBlanche]

How much of all this is actually constitutional?

Constitutional schmonstitutional. The Roberts court has ruled that he is above the law, and he knows it. His administration has already defied judges' orders with impunity.

 

[acutename]

""They ban our beef and they ban our pork," he [Greer] said."

View attachment 577794

Informal poll in this MSM started today.

'Fake science': Australia's tariff beef blows up in US Senate grilling

www.9news.com.au

not to change the subject here, but in what world is it economical to send beef about 10,000 miles? (distance NYC to Sydney)....

 

[iamshadow21]

not to change the subject here, but in what world is it economical to send beef about 10,000 miles? (distance NYC to Sydney)....

This article I linked to a few days ago explains the situation.

Ideally, food miles would be as low as possible on everything, but that is not the world we live in. People in the US are going to have to get used to paying more, or the products they're used to not being available or changing to include more domestic product. Hamburgers will taste different.

US-Australia beef: what you need to know about tariffs and the meat trade war

Donald Trump has singled out Australia for not importing American beef. But do we even need it and what will US tariffs mean for our producers?

www.theguardian.com

MOO

 

[otto]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

My fave president, Lawrence Wong of Singapore right up there with Pedro Sanchez, and Emmanuel Macron. ... and Mette Frederiksen, telling it like it really is.. not the Trump version , riddled with delusion and fantasy..

He seems to be saying that if the USA goes to war against China, it will be devastating because China will not capitulate.

Has the USA started war with China ... a war like the war the USA started with Canada? Is Trump drunk on power, throwing his weight around, and now it's personal? It's a war between Donald and China, unrelated to the prosperity and health of the USA?

Although Trump started the war, it was reported yesterday that he waiting for China to phone him. Trump didn't start with a conversation, he started by lashing out. It took a few weeks before Trump finally phoned Canada, which did reduce tensions.

 

[Warwick1991]

Trump is exultant, claiming all the coutries want to "kiss my a&&". As vulgar and demeaning as it gets.

He's like a sadistic insane emporer demanding more and more public obeisance so he can crow about his glory.

Its really madman territory.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/08/politics/trump-tariff-negotiations-foreign-leaders/index.html

He reminds me of the Roman emperor Caligula...

 

[Lilibet]

How much of all this is actually constitutional?

To the extent that he is by-passing the power of Congress over how money is spent, it probably isn’t constitutional. So far, that minor detail hasn’t stopped him in other executive and DOGE actions. The Republican led Congress has abdicated its power and responsibility and allowed Trump to do what he wants. We’ll see what the courts are allowed to do.

This is how authoritarians work.

JMO

 

[otto]

And I suppose that all of these pharmaceutical companies that are meant to move to the US will also be providing all of their own research dollars to find new medications and cures?

Trump halts medical research funding in apparent violation of judge’s order

Looks like it. Foreign countries should finance and staff new manufacturing facilities in the USA, and include research funding. That's a big request, especially since there are currently no benefits to the country that does this.

There is the additional problem that scientists in the USA are not allowed to discuss their work with scientists around the world.

 

[Kudzuu]

How much of all this is actually constitutional?

The problem is the Republicans have a super majority and Congress is the check against presidential power overreach. Until a few Republicans stand up to Trump he can govern by executive order. That is the norm now, unfortunately.

Having said that unlike his predecessors on both sides he is not interested in bipartisan legislation. That is why we are here on immigration. He stopped the bill telling his followers in Congress to vote against the legislation so he could run on the issue .
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-kill-border-bill-sign-trumps-strength-mcconnells-waning-in-rcna137477

 

[acutename]

my brother works at a brand that mostly has factories in vietnam, china and thailand and sells products worldwide, so i’ve been asking him lots of questions about how they’ll deal with this! the main things they have been doing is sending as much stock as they can to the US over the past few weeks, and shuffle things around so that most of the production for the US market will now be made in thailand, and their china factories will scale down production a bit but also will now mainly be used for non-US markets. the tariffs will still cost them millions, but these changes will cut the impact in half for the near future. in their case producing their products in the US instead of asia still wouldn’t be profitable.

yesterday, since this was on everybody's minds, I checked my clothing labels- Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, a few Vietnam pieces and several Chinas.

I wonder how this gets enforced if partially assembled pieces were sent here and finished in a US facility..... how would they value unfinished pieces going from one offshore location to a US one? Seems like a devil is in the details situation.
Maybe the next factory needs to be floating and go wherever is best.

 

[Kudzuu]

I hope you are right, but so far all I've seen is Republicans willing to let him burn it all down out of fear that he'll turn against them. They could have impeached him and been rid of him forever--they had two, TWO! opportunities to do so, but no. Too afraid DJT would sic his rabid masses on them.

Profiles in spinelessness. JMO

Thank you Mitch for all you have done to get us here. (Tongue firmly in cheek).

 

[acutename]

This article I linked to a few days ago explains the situation.

Ideally, food miles would be as low as possible on everything, but that is not the world we live in. People in the US are going to have to get used to paying more, or the products they're used to not being available or changing to include more domestic product. Hamburgers will taste different.

US-Australia beef: what you need to know about tariffs and the meat trade war

Donald Trump has singled out Australia for not importing American beef. But do we even need it and what will US tariffs mean for our producers?

www.theguardian.com

MOO

I know that food gets shipped around- notably fruits and veg in off season but 10,000 miles seems really extreme, IMO. Esp for a product that both countries have and that is not esp seasonal and that needs refrigeration.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

Looks like it. Foreign countries should finance and staff new manufacturing facilities in the USA, and include research funding. That's a big request, especially since there are currently no benefits to the country that does this.

There is the additional problem that scientists in the USA are not allowed to discuss their work with scientists around the world.

Not to mention the whole issue around data security and research.

 

[acutename]

Trump is exultant, claiming all the coutries want to "kiss my a&&". As vulgar and demeaning as it gets.

He's like a sadistic insane emporer demanding more and more public obeisance so he can crow about his glory.

Its really madman territory.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/08/politics/trump-tariff-negotiations-foreign-leaders/index.html

"
The logistics of arbitrating dozens of new bilateral agreements did not seem lost on the president, who suggested he may conscript lawyers at the large law firms he’s targeted for retribution to help him write up the terms.


“We need a lot of talent. We have a lot of countries coming that want to make deals,” he said in the East Room, where he was discussing a new energy initiative surrounded by coal workers in hard hats. “Our problem is [we] can’t see that many that fast,” he said of the countries reaching out."
_____________________________________________________________________

I did ask myself even if they were trying to negotiate with 50 -70 countries, how long would that take? Like a year?

 

[MelmothTheLost]

not to change the subject here, but in what world is it economical to send beef about 10,000 miles? (distance NYC to Sydney)....

Not beef, but lamb and mutton. New Zealand exports a lot of frozen sheep meat to the Middle East but that's essentially because they can't produce enough themselves.

 

[iamshadow21]

Not beef, but lamb and mutton. New Zealand exports a lot of frozen sheep meat to the Middle East but that's essentially because they can't produce enough themselves.

We ship a lot of lamb, too. We also ship fine merino wool to Europe where it is made into high end Italian suits.

Trade is all about supply and demand. I want something but don't have it, or can't make it myself. You have it, and we work out a price I am willing to pay and gives you enough of a profit to make the trade worthwhile and sustain the industry.

Trump seems to think the basic structure of trade equates to theft, and wants to punish everyone who ever sold anything to the US.

MOO

 

[otto]

I can hear the screams in Hollywood from the UK.

Now there's a thought - what if the manufacturer decided not to supply botox to the US?

And ozempic - the popular diabetes Danish drug used for weight loss in the USA.

From what we've seen so far, people in the USA have to be directly impacted by these wars before they react. Hollywood may finally find its voice!

 

[TootsieFootsie]

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-is-trashing-americas-global-good-name-foreign-policy-tariffs-trade-economy-b2d63350

Actually when I posted this, I hadn't read the entire article.
After reading it fully I disagree with with more than a bit of the article.

I do agree with the title.

 

[Herat]

I know that food gets shipped around- notably fruits and veg in off season but 10,000 miles seems really extreme, IMO. Esp for a product that both countries have and that is not esp seasonal and that needs refrigeration.

Our local Trader Joe's has grapes and berries from Chile and Peru. A flight from Chile to LAX is just under 9000 miles.

 

[Herat]

We ship a lot of lamb, too. We also ship fine merino wool to Europe where it is made into high end Italian suits.

Trade is all about supply and demand. I want something but don't have it, or can't make it myself. You have it, and we work out a price I am willing to pay and gives you enough of a profit to make the trade worthwhile and sustain the industry.

Trump seems to think the basic structure of trade equates to theft, and wants to punish everyone who ever sold anything to the US.

MOO

I see it more like half-legalized extortion.

Sort of like something The Mob does with their protection rackets, but on an international scale, not a neighborhood scale.

Trump is nothing more than an enabled Mob Boss. But he is not good at this. He can set up a racket but is not good on the follow-through or the long-term planning. That's why he had continuous bankruptcies in his casino business. He doesn't really understand the details in business.

He really has to rely on a squad of goons to patrol the neighborhood and do the collections. Not sure any of the people he has in top cabinet and economic / financial positions are anywhere near capable of being efficient at that. They are more the cheerleader crowd.