Trade Wars.
Easy to win.
Bringing manufacturing jobs back to America.
Yeah, right.
Too much winning. Can we try losing for a while instead?
Did 45 sit on the bike, twist the throttle and go “vroom, vroom”?
Jobs, jobs, jobs. Harley-Davidson already worked out a strategy that worked better for them than tariffs, but along comes Mr. Businessman with another hare brained dumpster fire and HD, the Milwaukee Marvel takes an immediate and predicted loss. Not only does he screw up exports, but he also makes it harder to buy American. Don’t you just love that famous Harley sound: Wompetty Wompetty Womp, y’all.
So more MAGA from Harley-Davidson! First they take Trump’s tax cut and repurchase $700 million in shares to reward their top executives and shareholders, then they announce the closing of their Kansas City factory, and now this. Five gets you ten that affected employees who are Trump supporters will still blindly support Trump because he’s really sticking it to “those people”…
In other words, the trade war gives them cover for the offshoring that they were already planning to do, because no one in the US has enough money to buy their bikes. Oh, and BTW, if the dollar falls (as expected) then the effect of the tariffs will be much less, but obviously not enough less for companies to keep production in the US.
How you can tell this justification for offshoring is baloney: they can’t move production immediately, and it’s unlikely the trade wars will last long enough for them to profit – on a tariff basis – from ramping up production elsehwere. But they’re still doing it.
And US influence in the world wanes even further, while other countries turn to China.
Make America Weak Again
This is why Flake is going flaky on judicial confirmations. He’s still a 20th century republican, committed to freeing corps from tariffs, taxes and trustworthy treatment of employees.
Still waiting for Trump production to move back to the USA. ( Well to be more correct - Move for the first time to the USA.)
I’m wondering when the falling stock market–a clear consequence of Trump’s tariffs–is going to become a story in the media. The Dow is down almost 300 [add 50 minutes later: make that over 400] points today and falling. It’s down 2000 points since January.
(And why is that the Obama recovery was inevitably described in the media as “shaky” whereas Trump’s continuation of that (without the stock market numbers) is always described as entailing a “booming economy”? Did that one point difference in the employment numbers suddenly change everything even though wages remain flat?)
Bourbon distributors like Brown- Forman based here in KY are stocking up overseas warehouses as well to avoid the tariffs at least for awhile. Bourbon is very popular overseas. At least it has been for the last 10-20 years.
When was it England dominated the world? How far they have fallen and continues to fall with brexit. The USA is rapidly following their model.
I have hit the 1,000 likes button
Good question. Sadly, the story will struggle to get oxygen as long as the media allows Trump to set the news agenda each day with his imbecilic early-morning tweet-rants. But there’s his childish attack on a restaurant (he’s never been in) on the front of TPM, the Washington Post, and elsewhere. I’m trying my best not to click on that stuff anymore (yes, it’s hard).
Hardy har! So much winning!
Obviously the “real Americans” who labor to manufacture these motorcycles are classic Trump voters, and will be receiving their “winnings” on a pink slip! I guess they can always get one of those “teenager jobs” for minimum wage now! I won’t shed a single tear for any of them.
Also, the media “knows” that republicans are good for business and democrats bad, regardless of the (what’s bigger than a ream?) of empiral evidence showing the opposite.
I believe that one of the reasons that the economy was not as good as it might have been during the Obama years (in addition to everything else) was an unwillingness of racists and other assh*les to commit to spending and hiring that was otherwise perfectly justified. The trump administration benefited from some of those people opening their wallets – until he blew things up.
As someone who is dependent upon SS and a small monthly draw from my IRA to survive, Trump’s tariff war and the resultant effect on the stock market is not making me thrilled. But I do know if he keeps it up some of the real rulers in the country are going to say “ahem - this needs to stop”.
But then again, maybe we are heading for The Big Short, part Deux.
In WI, Harley Davidson is an institution, like the Packers. A source of strength and pride, one of the few manufacturing businesses left in the state. I knew a number of people who worked their entire careers at Harley, owned nothing but Harleys, and wore the branded gear. The company’s had their ups and downs, but their riders were totally loyal.
I haven’t talked to any of them lately, but I’m thinking the trumpers among them must be confused.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration plans to impose curbs on Chinese investment in American technology companies and high-tech exports to China.
Is continuously fucking with your loan shark a good idea? Asking for a friend.