So you're telling me my Subaru is a national security threat?

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

So you’re telling me my Subaru is a national security threat?

By Catherine Rampell
Columnist
May 24 at 7:14 PM

What—you didn’t know your Subaru was a national security threat?

On Wednesday evening, Trump instructed the Commerce Department to investigate whether to raise tariffs to up to 25 percent on auto imports. The official rationale for launching this probe wasn’t that foreign countries were “dumping” their products at unfairly low prices, stealing our intellectual property or otherwise engaging in the sort of foul play that administrations past have alleged when threatening tariffs.

No, in this case, Trump has instructed Commerce to probe whether imports of automobiles and auto parts “threaten to impair the national security.”

Yes, you read that right. Late-’70s British pop stars may feel safest of all in their cars, but apparently Americans today should not.

If this all seems a bit far-fetched, well, that’s because it is.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-knows-how-to-ruin-the-whole-thing/2018/05/24/3eb8c67c-5f90-11e8-a4a4-c070ef53f315_story.html

[gordianot]

1. Auto parts are blended.

Your Chevy was not just made in America and your Toyota was not just made in Japan. Trump was made in America and he is the greatest direct threat to our security.

[Girard442]

2. None of this is about facts or logic or means to a desirable end.

At this point, it's more akin to pulling the wings off flies.

[neeksgeek]

3. Years ago, I dated a girl who's dad was an auto worker

This anecdote isn’t really about cars and national security. It’s more about the mindset of some people.

Anyway I was studying photography and had a Nikon camera. They both got on my case anout my camera, suggesting that “an American camera like Kodak or Canon” would be better. Ha! Kodak wasn’t making good 35mm cameras anymore in the 90s, and Canon is as Japanese as Nikon. I tried to explain my reasons...

But they had this idea and they stuck to it. Got lectured “you can’t buy anything American, can you?” Her dad and she both were, it turns out, Rush Lamebrain fans, but I didn’t know it yet.

[MyOwnPeace]

4. It's tough

to teach the stoopid!

[Heartstrings]

5. Always chuckle when someone says

When referencing my Subaru Outback ( best ride I’ve ever owned btw) “why didn’t you buy American?”....obviously they never checked their green or white sheet as to the origin of every single component of their “American made car”...i’m willing to bet there isn’t one car currently on the market that is strictly built in the US. My husband retired from Chrysler after 30 years, assembly parts came from all over the world.
Thanks IQ45!!
Are we great yet, moron?

[matt819]

6. Here's the problem with the moron in chief

Many “foreign” cars are made in the US. My foreign Subaru was made in Indiana.

My “foreign” Tundra was made in Texas.

You can argue all you like about globalization, but it’s real, and idiotic 25% tariffs aren’t going to address the issue.

[Bob Loblaw]

10. Subaru uses

Weimeraners in their commercials. Can't they find American dogs to act in their ads?

[genxlib]

7. 10:1 odds

You could trace this "policy" back to a conversation that Trump had with a friend/supporter who is an American car dealer or some other financial interest.

Of course, that is assuming that you can't trace it directly to a Fox and Friends segment.

[modrepub]

8. NAFTA Negotiations

Have read this whole angle is to extract a more "favorable" NAFTA treaty. Funny thing is most companies have already figured out how to assemble the pieces and still make a profit under the current circumstances. Add in that most companies are practicing "just in time" supply chains and this "strategy" is just going to cost all consumers money.

For an (all knowing) businessman, this clown doesn't understand the first thing about capitalism. First rule of capitalism, price of product must cover the expense of making said product. Second rule, the cost to produce said good must continually be minimized. Capitalism is a cruel system, but much like democracy it's the best system we have.

[malthaussen]

9. Well, he has to use that argument...

... with few exceptions, tariffs are the purview of Congress, not the Executive. In order to conduct his trade war, Mr Trump has to limit himself to "national security" reasons for unilaterally imposing tariffs.

-- Mal