kingdragonfly:

 

The US president tweeted he was surprised that the company had become "the first to wave the white flag", adding: "I fought hard for them."

Womp womp.

kingdragonfly: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44610010

"Donald Trump criticises Harley-Davidson for decision over tariffs"

"Donald Trump has criticised the Harley-Davidson motorcycle firm over its plans to shift production away from the US in order to avoid European Union tariffs.

The US president tweeted he was surprised that the company had become "the first to wave the white flag", adding: "I fought hard for them."

Harley-Davidson earlier said making bikes for the European market would be transferred to other countries.

The EU tariffs are a response to new US duties on steel and aluminium imports."

Get zany at 1:35

Good on them. They can do that relatively easily as they already manufacturer in Brazil and India, and are building a plant in Thailand this year.

What are the options?

1. Lose sales as the bikes become more expensive

2. Run the business efficiently, reduce US employees and employ foreigners and support another country's economy, yeah tariffs are the way forward....

tdgeek:

 

Good on them. They can do that relatively easily as they already manufacturer in Brazil and India, and are building a plant in Thailand this year.

 

What are the options?

 

1. Lose sales as the bikes become more expensive

 

2. Run the business efficiently, reduce US employees and employ foreigners and support another country's economy, yeah tariffs are the way forward....

 

The message that Trump was sending via Twitter was that HD acted too soon - they should have waited as Trump believes that he can "win" a trade war and the EU will drop tariffs.

I'm sure Trump is correct - in that tariffs and non-tariff protection has a negative impact on global trade, the world would probably be a better place if there was genuine free trade - so long as there were also environmental and human rights protections in place - zero chance of that under Trump.

However I don't think the US sugar, corn, and soybean industries would exist without continuation of the massive subsidies and protections they receive, if a true "market" model was used then for example in a situation of cyclical global overproduction of steel and consequential low prices, you'd let the market "self-correct" rather than engage in trade-war to protect your domestic industry. The US beef and dairy industry also subsidised - through access to cheap subsidised feed prices etc. 

Trump's message is extreme hypocrisy - he wants everybody else to open their doors to US exports, but there's no way he'll allow open slather imports by dropping US barriers - which would be political suicide.  He's a crooked scumbag and bully.

Fred99:

 

tdgeek:

 

Good on them. They can do that relatively easily as they already manufacturer in Brazil and India, and are building a plant in Thailand this year.

 

What are the options?

 

1. Lose sales as the bikes become more expensive

 

2. Run the business efficiently, reduce US employees and employ foreigners and support another country's economy, yeah tariffs are the way forward....

 

 

The message that Trump was sending via Twitter was that HD acted too soon - they should have waited as Trump believes that he can "win" a trade war and the EU will drop tariffs.

 

I'm sure Trump is correct - in that tariffs and non-tariff protection has a negative impact on global trade, the world would probably be a better place if there was genuine free trade - so long as there were also environmental and human rights protections in place - zero chance of that under Trump.

 

However I don't think the US sugar, corn, and soybean industries would exist without continuation of the massive subsidies and protections they receive, if a true "market" model was used then for example in a situation of cyclical global overproduction of steel and consequential low prices, you'd let the market "self-correct" rather than engage in trade-war to protect your domestic industry. The US beef and dairy industry also subsidised - through access to cheap subsidised feed prices etc. 

 

Trump's message is extreme hypocrisy - he wants everybody else to open their doors to US exports, but there's no way he'll allow open slather imports by dropping US barriers - which would be political suicide.  He's a crooked scumbag and bully.

 

Yes. Harley actually have been manufacturing overseas for a while now. So they aren't waiting as such. But they are actually waiting (as they said "planning") so silly for him to state that.  The average tariff by country is a tickle under 3%.

In many ways it would help the world if he was re elected. He isnt starting WW3 and so on, but if he remained as POTUS that confirms to the world that they need to react, and work hard to build trade elsewhere, and reduce US imports as much as possible, seek new markets. Hasten the world having a free economy and the US can do what they like. It may be that the only tariffs in time are by the US and to the US.

tdgeek:

 

In many ways it would help the world if he was re elected. He isnt starting WW3 and so on, but if he remained as POTUS that confirms to the world that they need to react, and work hard to build trade elsewhere, and reduce US imports as much as possible, seek new markets. Hasten the world having a free economy and the US can do what they like. It may be that the only tariffs in time are by the US and to the US.

 

Actually in my opinion, he's setting up a geopolitical environment which could lead to WW3 - even if Trump doesn't fire the first shot.

Trump isn't interested in "free" trade - only "MAGA" - and it's clear that he'll walk all over anybody he perceives to be getting in his way.

China could tank the US economy in the blink of an eye.  Can't blame Trump entirely for the creation of the situation that led to this (huge US federal deficits) but he's made things worse with reduced revenue (tax cuts) and increased spending (most of it going to the military).

China won't (for now) act to tank the US economy - because it'll hurt China.  They also possibly consider that if they do tank the US economy, then what they'll get as a result may be worse than Trump - someone competent and on a mission as the next POTUS.

Harley Davidson issue. Why is Harley Davidson going to make bikes in Thailand? Surely a wiser strategy would have been a marketing campaign about how they need help from loyal Americans to keep buying their bikes following the tariffs from the 'evil' Euro zone. They could have emphasised how they would never build the bikes anywhere except in the USA.

Sure, they may make some more money short term by using a Thai factory, but I bet it really annoys/disappoints a whole lot of their buyers in the USA.

amiga500: They could have emphasised how they would never build the bikes anywhere except in the USA.

[click to view]

Trump takes a ridiculously long time to sign his name

Per tradition, president Donald Trump signed his first executive orders shortly after being sworn in to office.
Surrounded by his family and members of Congress, the world witnessed how long it takes Trump to write down the 11 letters in his first and last name.

His official signature - a jagged, loop-less scrawl reminiscent of a seismometer reading from a catastrophic earthquake - took about six to seven seconds and over 30 strokes to complete.
In comparison, his predecessors including left-handed Barack Obama took a second or two to scribble their executive marks.

MSNBC - The US National Debt soars under Trump tax cuts

When campaigning, Donald Trump said the national debt would destroy his country.

He promised to abolish the national debt.

Now he is expanding it - the debt has already risen to [USD] $21 trillion.

This is a very, vary scary video. Watch it if you dare.

American Supreme Court. Is there going to be a seismic shift to the right for the next 25 years?

Yikes, Justice Kennedy is retiring. He was considered a moderate swing-vote on the court. He is now likely to be replaced by a solid far-right individual. These appointments are for life so likely will serve for 25 or so years.