Tariffs Catch-All

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ChapelHillSooner said:
Anyone who thinks any retailer could eat a 30% cost is a fool. As always it is never clear whether Trump has no financial sense or if he is just playing the bully to blame blame elsewhere.

Profit margins are not that high. Walmart’s gross profit margin is higher than I would have guessed (25%) but that would be a loss before even considering operating costs.

Walmart isn’t in the business of going bankrupt.

They can eat some of the cost but no way that they could eat that much. Medium term they might adjust what products they offer to avoid products that have such high tariff but short term they have to raise prices.
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Yeah, Trump has successfully bullied some law firms, universities, news outlets, corporations, etc. into backing down and doing his bidding, but when his trade wars start affecting the profits of corporations he's not going to be able to bully them into keeping their prices lower, no matter what he threatens to do. And of course the reason he's so mad is that he doesn't want the American people - and especially his base, which buys at places like Walmart - to actually start feeling the effects of his tariffs. As long as they're not feeling any pain then MAGA Nation can just keep pretending that all is well.
 
BlueSmoke said:
Come on Democrats. This is too easy. There are just so many ways to remind the public that Trump promised that we wouldn't be paying for the tariffs.

Reminiscent of his "Mexico will pay for the wall" promise.
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POTUS has a bully pulpit - especially this bully of a POTUS.

How many Democrats have a nationwide bully pulpit?

Please name them.
 
ChapelHillSooner said:
Anyone who thinks any retailer could eat a 30% cost is a fool. As always it is never clear whether Trump has no financial sense or if he is just playing the bully to blame blame elsewhere.

Profit margins are not that high. Walmart’s gross profit margin is higher than I would have guessed (25%) but that would be a loss before even considering operating costs.

Walmart isn’t in the business of going bankrupt.

They can eat some of the cost but no way that they could eat that much. Medium term they might adjust what products they offer to avoid products that have such high tariff but short term they have to raise prices.
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They wouldn't be eating it anyway, it has to be paid, even if they cut margins and don't pass it on to customers, it's money that cannot be used for other things and will ultimately impact the company negatively.

Maybe they have to reduce staff, maybe they don't open new stores and therefore do create new jobs. Any way you slice it, the tariffs are costing business and consumers and are hurting all Americans.
 
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www.marketplace.org

Tariffs aimed at bringing business back to the U.S. are actually driving it to Canada

While many Canadian companies are hurting because of the trade war, some are booming as clients look for ways to avoid doing business in the U.S.
www.marketplace.org www.marketplace.org

Tariffs aimed at bringing business back to the U.S. are actually driving it to Canada​

While many Canadian companies are hurting because of the trade war, some are booming as clients look for ways to avoid doing business in the U.S.
 
nycfan said:
IMG_6982.jpeg

Watching I See You GIF by Hope is Sincere
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So Trump is basically admitting that his tariffs only work if the companies paying them agree to eat the extra tax instead of raising their own prices to remain profitable. Which is the EXACT THING every economist has been saying since the beginning about why blanket tariffs are a lousy idea that will only result in a tax on the American consumer.
 
DiehardHeelFan said:
From your link

IMG_2948.jpeg
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I'm happy to see them making it visible, but call it a tariff charge, so many of the cult will not understand import charges and know to blame the government instead of the importers.

Also, if trump wants walmart to pay more maybe consider raising corporate taxes back to where they were instead of paying stupid games.
 
UNCatTech said:
I'm happy to see them making it visible, but call it a tariff charge, so many of the cult will not understand import charges and know to blame the government instead of the importers.

Also, if trump wants walmart to pay more maybe consider raising corporate taxes back to where they were instead of paying stupid games.
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Yeah, rather than call them a tariff or import charge, refer to it as the Trump tax.
 
Zoo_View said:
POTUS has a bully pulpit - especially this bully of a POTUS.

How many Democrats have a nationwide bully pulpit?

Please name them.
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It's a gift from Heaven moment to the opposition party. When Biden did the Afghanistan withdrawal, Republicans took advantage of the gift as the opposition Party. Bully pulpit doesn't have anything to do with taking advantage although it helps.

And this weekend, even though Democrats are all over the shows, talking about corruption and playing defense on Biden's fitness. Attacking on the Walmart price increase is rather subdued at best but some of the hosts do seem to be trying to help them out. Or maybe I have missed it. Or maybe they will go on the attack this week.
 
BlueSmoke said:
It's a gift from Heaven moment to the opposition party. When Biden did the Afghanistan withdrawal, Republicans took advantage of the gift as the opposition Party. Bully pulpit doesn't have anything to do with taking advantage although it helps.

And this weekend, even though Democrats are all over the shows, talking about corruption and playing defense on Biden's fitness. Attacking on the Walmart price increase is rather subdued at best but some of the hosts do seem to be trying to help them out. Or maybe I have missed it. Or maybe they will go on the attack this week.
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The Democratic Party is an excellent governing party; it is a horrible messaging/opposition party
The GQP is a horrible governing party; it is an excellent messaging/opposition party
 
lawtig02 said:
That’s what happen when you have a party media apparatus that controls the disinformation heard by half the country.
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That's true...

but even before there was a Fox News I think that the ethos of the GQP has been principled upon opposition to governance. For years I have challenged posters to list one thing that a GQP conservative administration/Congress has done to improve the lives of working and middle class American families and have yet to get a response.

The Democratic Party ethos has always been principled upon good governance, and the list of the things it has done to improve the lives of working and middle class American families is too long to mention.
 
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heelinhell said:
That's true...

but even before there was a Fox News I think that the ethos of the GQP has been principled upon opposition to governance. For years I have challenged posters to list one thing that a GQP conservative administration/Congress has done to improve the lives of working and middle class American families and have yet to get a response.
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Clean Air Act amendments of 1991. One of the best environmental laws in our history. Long time ago, but that's something.

W alleviated the need to pay GI benefits to about 5,000 American soldiers. Does that count?
 
superrific said:
Clean Air Act amendments of 1991. One of the best environmental laws in our history. Long time ago, but that's something.

W alleviated the need to pay GI benefits to about 5,000 American soldiers. Does that count?
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I believe the Clean Air Act amendments were introduced by Democrats and passed by Democrats that controlled the House and the Senate, but kudos to Poppy Bush for signing the bill

I'm not sure about the GI benefits. From your post, it suggests there was no need to pay benefits to 5,000 American soldiers ?
 
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WaynetheDrain said:
So Trump is basically admitting that his tariffs only work if the companies paying them agree to eat the extra tax instead of raising their own prices to remain profitable. Which is the EXACT THING every economist has been saying since the beginning about why blanket tariffs are a lousy idea that will only result in a tax on the American consumer.
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Problem is Trump will blame the companies and the MAGAT’s will believe him.
 
heelinhell said:
That's true...

but even before there was a Fox News I think that the ethos of the GQP has been principled upon opposition to governance. For years I have challenged posters to list one thing that a GQP conservative administration/Congress has done to improve the lives of working and middle class American families and have yet to get a response.

The Democratic Party ethos has always been principled upon good governance, and the list of the things it has done to improve the lives of working and middle class American families is too long to mention.
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The GOP Brand is based on being the Party of "NO". So its not natural for them to be into governance. Or into opposition to governance as you said. But by being the Party of NO, I tend to think it gives them an unappreciated minor advantage when it comes to elections.

When the voter feels that both options on the ballot are bad, then the voter will hunt for the "least bad" option. Therefore, its possible the voter will perceive that the Party of NO can do the least damage and thus vote for that.

Speaking mostly of swing type voters. Makes no difference to the voter that hates government even if there is a good choice on the ballot.
 
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