In a switch, Dems and unions cheer Trump while GOP frets

[DonViejo]

By KEVIN FREKING
46 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Few issues could blur the lines of partisanship in Trump-era Washington. Trade is one of them.

President Donald Trump’s announcement that he will impose stiff tariffs on imported steel and aluminum has labor unions and liberal Democrats in the unusual position of applauding Trump’s approach, while Republicans and an array of business groups are warning of dire economic and political consequences if he goes ahead.

Trade politics often cut along regional, rather than ideological, lines, as politicians reflect the interests of the hometown industries and workers. But rarely does a debate open so wide a rift between a president and his party — leaving him almost exclusively with support from his ideological opposites.

“Good, finally,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat and progressive as he cheered Trump’s move. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, a Democrat who has called for Trump to resign, agreed.

“I urge the administration to follow through and to take aggressive measures to ensure our workers can compete on a level playing field,” Casey tweeted.

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https://www.apnews.com/a7495a002c0940e0b73cc61b5bf14019/In-a-switch,-Dems-and-unions-cheer-Trump-while-GOP-frets

[Farmer-Rick]

1. Oh thank god

Someone finally said it. Tariffs have been the major tax base of the US from colonial times. In 1940 payroll taxes were instituted and more and more workers fund the government while corporations and the rich pay less and less.

Europe uses a VAT tax as an idirect tarriff but in the US, income and payroll taxes now fund most of what tarriffs, inheritance and corporate taxes use to fund. So most of the federal government is funded by workers and corporation providing the rich with most of their wealth pay very little. Talk about taxation without representation.

When have tarriffs become a dirty word? I suspect in 1940. Tarriffs are not the horrible economic tool the rich want you to believe it is. If Trump were smart, but he's not, he woud just call it a VAT tax instead.

[FarCenter]

2. Tariffs on goods should equal the amount of taxes that would have been paid had they been made here

[RB TexLa]

3. Or you could change your definition of "here" to include everywhere

Like we are part of the world instead of just part of ourselves.

[FarCenter]

4. That doesn't work unless the "here" we collect taxes on is everywhere.

Note that when goods are exported from a VAT tax country, the VAT taxes are usually forgiven, so that the goods are exported tax-free. This gives the foreign goods a major cost advantage over US goods when they are imported to the US.