this post was submitted on 07 Apr 2025
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Welcome to Lemmy. It sounds like you either come from a place of extreme privilege or you're not actually sure how the tariffs will affect the people.
The idea behind the tariffs is fine. They want to drive union Members (fun fact, did you know that that's how the founding fathers referred to citizens?) to buy and trade locally. However, many of the products we use in our day to day life come from industries that don't exist in the US yet, and it will take years to create the required infrastructure and factories and farm land in order to create those industries.
Effectively, the tariffs would have been fine. If the US had actually been prepared to take care of itself. But it's not, and it won't be for a long time. So, the tariffs only exist as an extra tax right now.
Dead broke son of a low middle class family. There's no privilege here. I'm not here for political debates. Ultimately, I'm here for gaming (particularly of the retro variety), open source software, Linux, that kind of stuff. That being said, I am going to say this much.
Unlike other comments here, I actually do somewhat agree with what you're saying in the sense that it's gonna be a little harder because we don't have those industries here at home. The problem is, if we didn't take drastic action, we were just gonna continue on the current path. Countless properties, companies, and assets are owned by foreign companies. If we don't put tariffs on the countries that are already tarriffing us hard, then we would just continue the cycle of economic failure.
Moreover, we're seeing plenty of foreign countries already caving to these tariffs. Sure, you might see bigger ones like China resisting for a while, but it's not going to last very long. They don't have enough economic power to be completely self-sufficient, especially considering the fact that the majority of their wealth has been made on our expense. Without America buying up all the cheap crap that their corporations peddle, their economy will fall apart. What they need to realize is that if they want to be economic partners with our country, they're going to have to pay their fair share.
Honestly, that whole concept just seems like common sense to me. If another country is going to do business with us, they should have to be conducting fair business and not taking advantage of us at every turn.
At the end of the day, much like a majority of political discourse on the Fediverse, I'm pretty certain it just boils down to a shared hatred of our current president. And honestly, I just find that very sad. It's one thing to have an objective perspective or to at least try to have an objective perspective. That's why, of all of these comments, yours is the one I'm replying to. But in general, the main reason I'm not replying to the others (other than the fact that I don't want to waste time on politics) is that they are already showing their colors and I know for a fact that I could not have a proper adult discussion with them even if I tried.
Just Zimbabwe at the moment.
I think you're bringing up good points about important issues. However, what the current US administration is doing doesn't seem to solve any of those problems in any capacity. In fact, the previous administration did a lot more on that front, without collapsing the entire global economy at the same time. Also, as some other comments pointed out, almost nobody on the planet is 'caving in' to the tariffs. The vast majority of the world is simply cutting trade with the US wherever possible, resulting in Americans paying several times more for various goods, for no apparent reason or benefit.
You previously totally supported the policy of Tariffs. Is there now anger at Trump for the recent reversal in strategy?
What reversal? It's still in play. The idea is to use them to force other nations to play fair with us.
Thank you for responding. I was curious because you said something has to be done, and now less of that something is being done.
I was wondering if this latest development by Trump was a source of anger, confusion or sign of weakness, but obviously not.
What % of Trump's actions do you think are being driven by behind the scenes people like Musk and Thiel? Same question relating to JD Vance?
Yeah, that IS inherited privilege. You realize, that a low middle class american family is still in the uper ~ 10 % of currently living humans?
This is exactly why y'all lost, but that's the last I'll be contributing to this thread. As I've said, I'm not here for politics.
So, let us part with this few last words from me i write without wanting to anger you, just to with the hope you may contemplate about: "In todays age there is nothing apolitical. You are either a part of the solution... or of the problem".
There's some hostile people abounding. Let them think what they will, it makes little difference to the sum of your day. I don't expect you to respond again. I'll respect you and your opinion just as much either way. But I hope that at the very least, you take some time to consider what you can do to help the people around you create the industries we need.
I do agree that we needed to take drastic action in order to change the course of our country. In fact, I actually don't like the tariffs because they're not nearly drastic enough. The shift towards internalizing our needs should have come by empowering our people, rather than pushing away aid.
It's not a secret that trading internationally for 90% of our needs isn't exactly healthy for our longevity; but you can't take blood from a stone. The people need help to get to their next decade, their next birthday, their next check, even to their next meal for many. We should be demanding that the powers that be use their resources to create a workforce capable of doing anything, and facilitating itself. That starts with putting people to work, which means helping them off the streets so that they have an address to put on their resume at the very least.
Have a great day.
In keeping with another post where I ended my arguments here, I won't debate the point any further but guys: this post is how you conduct a discussion like a mature adult. Learn from it.
It's not about "hating". It is because you (and the current administration) have no idea what you are talking about and are trying to pass it off as fact.
People really do not like imposters, larpers, and pretenders - and when in positions of power they get people killed. This is not a video game, nor a simulation, educate yourself before you speak.
There are many many expert peer-reviewed studies that show tariffs do not work - especially in the way Trump is using them. Also the U.S. had no "economic failure", they've been the richest country to ever exist. BlackRock and Vanguard also manage a significant amount of U.S. property assets and they are American companies.
The problem was the wealth-gap and no amount of tariffs is going to fix this; people need to pay their taxes. Companies need to be paying the 91% rate they paid in the past, and people need the minimum wage to rise with inflation.
There is more than enough money to do this, but you vote for Trump who actively makes the situation worse. This is not to say Dems would've made it better - but Republicans will always make the problem worse, since that is their whole policy platform.