Tony, we are charging a 10% tariff to countries that have a trade SURPLUS with us.

I'm not saying that factcheck is lying, just that it is not a simple answer and if you research it you will find what I have said to be true.

Trump has fed the American public a line of shit regarding tariffs.

Compare duty and tariffs rates on a specific product and country and you will see that I am correct.

Even the trade deficit rational is deeply flawed, take NZ for an example again. How can a country of 5 million people be expect to purchase as much as the largest economy in the world(the USA) with a population of 330 million? They can't.

In the early 2000s most of my surgical supplies were manufactured in the USA. Today, 99% are manufactured in Asia — quality is pathetic.

Today medical/surgical supply manufacturing is coming back to USA in droves.

Unlike in the supply-chain constrained months of recently history, however, only a small portion of growth is expected to be driven by price increases. Approximately 60% of manufacturers expect to pass along price increases ranging between 1.7 and 2.6%.

Inflation is anticipated to hover in the 2-3% range; however, Goldman Sachs (and others) predict inflation could pick up another point and slow growth if 10% tariffs on Chinese imports are implemented.

https://www.claconnect.com/en/...-for-success-in-2025

I don’t think a 2-3 percent GDP growth to 3-10 percent inflation is a winning argument.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
In the early 2000s most of my surgical supplies were manufactured in the USA. Today, 99% are manufactured in Asia — quality is pathetic.

Today medical/surgical supply manufacturing is coming back to USA in droves.

I like Swiss tweezers for handling chip resistors but have gotten by from time to time by shaping Pakistani ones with a diamond file. Pattern 7 is my go-to tweezer, with pattern 3 for places where there are parts around the solder pads.

Memo to trump. If the economy is booming as is YTF do we need to reduce interest rates?

Low interest would just set the economy on fire. That said, I differ from Trump here and like interest about where it is now.

If you are out there doing business in the US economy…it is good.

All the naysayers here aren’t and basically don’t know “come here” from “sick’em” about it in reality.

We will post the best year in our history this year…money all made from other’s expendable income.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
If you are out there doing business in the US economy…it is good.

All the naysayers here aren’t and basically don’t know “come here” from “sick’em” about it in reality.

We will post the best year in our history this year…money all made from other’s expendable income.

Well, I would note that your absence hasn't dampened your enthusiasm for your own opinions. The self-proclaimed genius rides again.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
Low interest would just set the economy on fire. That said, I differ from Trump here and like interest about where it is now.

Rates are not far from historical norms. They are inconvenient for current real estate prices that are the product of holding rates low for too long. Private equity funds have the money to buy, young'uns just setting out do not. Their disposable incomes are just not enough, by and large.

Powell would be wise to hold out at this point, although he might have been wiser to increase rates at a measured pace.

Trump has a revenue problem that would be easier to hide with lower rates for federal funds.
Sooner or later the voting population will realize that tariffs are taxes.

Of course it's a tax. Obamacare was being touted as other than, but was really a tax also.
I have had little time to look. I still dont like the conflicting data.
And before some start saying trump and fox news lies. I have not looked at any media based info on tariff rates or listened to Trump, so stick it up your ass and save it.
There are unexplained discrepancies in reported data where tariffs stand globally.
I dont mind if there are given reasons, I dont like unexplained discrepancies

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
Low interest would just set the economy on fire. That said, I differ from Trump here and like interest about where it is now.

I don't think we would want it center of the sun hot.

quote:

Originally posted by TomP:

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
Low interest would just set the economy on fire. That said, I differ from Trump here and like interest about where it is now.

Rates are not far from historical norms. They are inconvenient for current real estate prices that are the product of holding rates low for too long. Private equity funds have the money to buy, young'uns just setting out do not. Their disposable incomes are just not enough, by and large.

Powell would be wise to hold out at this point, although he might have been wiser to increase rates at a measured pace.

Trump has a revenue problem that would be easier to hide with lower rates for federal funds.
Sooner or later the voting population will realize that tariffs are taxes.

Yah, because they gotta pay for more tax cuts for a lot of folks who don't really need it.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
Of course it's a tax. Obamacare was being touted as other than, but was really a tax also.
I have had little time to look. I still dont like the conflicting data.
And before some start saying trump and fox news lies. I have not looked at any media based info on tariff rates or listened to Trump, so stick it up your ass and save it.
There are unexplained discrepancies in reported data where tariffs stand globally.
I dont mind if there are given reasons, I dont like unexplained discrepancies

I tried to explain it the best way that I know how to Tony, there are a ton of variables so getting a concise conclusion will be difficult. The devil is in the details, the best you can do is to compare the product and country tariffs/duty on both sides. Not all products have the same duty but tariffs are applied by country. Look at the list of countries and the tariffs applied to them, that covers everything(with some exceptions) imported from them, then add duty, then compare what they charge us.

You asked earlier what data set Trump used to establish tariffs and trade deficits, likely the same data set that used to justify his claim of a 1500% price reduction on prescription drugs.

https://www.newsweek.com/donal...g-price-cuts-2108365

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Unlike in the supply-chain constrained months of recently history, however, only a small portion of growth is expected to be driven by price increases. Approximately 60% of manufacturers expect to pass along price increases ranging between 1.7 and 2.6%.

Inflation is anticipated to hover in the 2-3% range; however, Goldman Sachs (and others) predict inflation could pick up another point and slow growth if 10% tariffs on Chinese imports are implemented.

https://www.claconnect.com/en/...-for-success-in-2025

I don’t think a 2-3 percent GDP growth to 3-10 percent inflation is a winning argument.

10 % on China? What happened to his 100-200% claims? Oh, right. he runs his mouth, but TACO.