More than 50 countries have reached out to the President to begin tariff negotiations

[quintessentone]

That could be because taxing "his buddies" doesn't increase American jobs or provide relief for the American consumer.

You do know LOTS of other countries have large tariffs and large trade imbalances against the US, like the EU why are thier tariffs and China's and India's OK? Why cant American companies sell into those markets when their companies can easily sell into ours

Already with the few countries that have zeroed out tariffs is a boon for some industries, LOL not mine yet. But others like Steel, Automotive, and Cattle Ranchers will have new markets to sell to.  Just because of tariffs. 

Of course, his billionaire buddies will make even more bank LOL and they could get tax breaks too regardless 

You saw where he wants to abolish the IRS and has asked Congress to do so 

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trumps-g...ck-2033609

 doubt that happens but we could get taxes abolished for 150 grand and under which would be another boon

Nobody expects his buddies to do anything for the working person, I meant their tax dollars could be put to good use by the government as in helping entrepreneurial business start ups through programs, things like that. But, it was just my imagination.

[putnam6]

Nobody expects his buddies to do anything for the working person, I meant their tax dollars could be put to good use by the government as in helping entrepreneurial business start ups through programs, things like that. But, it was just my imagination.

You mean like all the wonderful and absolutely positively necessary funding from USAID? I'll pass 

Our elected officials wanted to quietly give 2 billion dollars for EPA-quality homes to a company whose total earnings were 100 dollars

I love helping small businesses and start-ups but I wonder if we want any politicians of any party involved in the process. When we usually add politicians and money and throw in some governmental bureaucracy we get less than stellar results. 

We'd be better off having corporations sponsoring neighborhoods in cities and towns, private businesses don't piss away money at the rates and levels our government does.


 

WOW: DOGE has found that the government gave illegals work authorization paperwork just a few months after filing for asylum here in the U.S, allowing them to work in this country for years before their legal hearing. The immigration department mailed them a Social Security card without any interview or identity verification. Non-citizen Social Security numbers issued over the past 4 years: 270,425 in 2021. 590,193 in 2022. 964,163 in 2023. 2,095,247 in 2024. "DOGE also discovered that 1.3 million aliens are now receiving Medicaid. Millions received drivers licenses, some registered to vote and DOGE said some actually did vote.”

[quintessentone]

You mean like all the wonderful and absolutely positively necessary funding from USAID? I'll pass 

Our elected officials wanted to quietly give 2 billion dollars for EPA-quality homes to a company whose total earnings were 100 dollars

I love helping small businesses and start-ups but I wonder if we want any politicians of any party involved in the process. When we usually add politicians and money and throw in some governmental bureaucracy we get less than stellar results. 

We'd be better off having corporations sponsoring neighborhoods in cities and towns, private businesses don't piss away money at the rates and levels our government does.

[Image: https://denyignorance.com/uploader/image...27-635.jpg]
 

USAID additions to the coffers (? where did the money go?) was only $8M...that is chump change for Trump and his buddies.

What I see is that the tariffs are really a tax on the American citizens. These types of leaders know only one way of doing things and it always ends up with the citizens suffering the consequences.

[Oldcarpy2]

You mean like all the wonderful and absolutely positively necessary funding from USAID? I'll pass 

Our elected officials wanted to quietly give 2 billion dollars for EPA-quality homes to a company whose total earnings were 100 dollars

I love helping small businesses and start-ups but I wonder if we want any politicians of any party involved in the process. When we usually add politicians and money and throw in some governmental bureaucracy we get less than stellar results. 

We'd be better off having corporations sponsoring neighborhoods in cities and towns, private businesses don't piss away money at the rates and levels our government does.

[Image: https://denyignorance.com/uploader/image...27-635.jpg]
 

DOGE'S figures are unsubstantiated bollox.

Like the supposed 100 million spent sending condoms to Hamas?

[Oldcarpy2]

USAID additions to the coffers (? where did the money go?) was only $8M...that is chump change for Trump and his buddies.

What I see is that the tariffs are really a tax on the American citizens. These types of leaders know only one way of doing things and it always ends up with the citizens suffering the consequences.

Yes.

[putnam6]

USAID additions to the coffers (? where did the money go?) was only $8M...that is chump change for Trump and his buddies.

What I see is that the tariffs are really a tax on the American citizens. These types of leaders know only one way of doing things and it always ends up with the citizens suffering the consequences.

PERHAPS in the short-term, but in the long term we will be a little more self-reliant, and more investment will come to the US. My industry has loads of foreign companies, I can easily see 70-80% of them having offices in the US to mitigate the tariffs in the interim 

Short-term pain long-term gain

POLITIFACT says otherwise it was 2 billion FWIW
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/20...headed-up/
 

Trump appeared to be referring to a $2 billion Environmental Protection Agency grant awarded in April 2024 to a coalition of clean energy groups known as Power Forward Communities to fund energy efficient housing projects around the country. A press release announcing the coalition included a phrase similar to language from Trump’s speech: "A new coalition forms for unprecedented US housing decarbonization." 
That coalition included Rewiring America and four other groups that came together in 2023 to apply for $9.5 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy funding. 
After what it described as a "robust" review process, the EPA awarded the grant under then-President Joe Biden.
Power Forward Communities said Feb. 24 it was beginning work on several projects including energy efficiency upgrades in Clinton, Iowa, a new apartment complex in Detroit, Michigan, and home renovations in Salem, Massachusetts. It said those investments would total about $539 million — or about 27% of the total EPA grant. 

[quintessentone]

PERHAPS in the short-term, but in the long term we will be a little more self-reliant, and more investment will come to the US. My industry has loads of foreign companies, I can easily see 70-80% of them having offices in the US to mitigate the tariffs in the interim 

Short-term pain long-term gain

POLITIFACT says otherwise it was 2 billion FWIW
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/20...headed-up/
 

In fact, there is no independent way to check the facts because there is no independent oversight in the government now.

So you are okay with being taxed and rising prices for everything?

Short-term pain for some, long-term or absolute financial disaster for others.

[quintessentone]

Yes.

Yep. It's not what Trump promised during his campaign. Remember him promising no world wars? Or was that a fantasy skit he was performing back then?

Expert economists are saying the repercussions to the American economy will be very bad and Richard Wolff ("The Sickness is the System") says that Trump is only trying to save his political life.

It may take a little longer before people in that country clue in to what is really happening, although many won't accept the reality.

[putnam6]

In fact, there is no independent way to check the facts because there is no independent oversight in the government now.

So you are okay with being taxed and rising prices for everything?

Short-term pain for some, long-term or absolute financial disaster for others.

Yeah, Ive said it before quintessentone, and thanks for the conversation BTW but, I probably make less than anybody else on here. 
But I live simply and frugally and Im not concerned, Im better off than when we were coming out of COVID a lot better. First quarter this year was a lot better than the previous 4-5.

For my position and my situation, I'll support whoever helps my business/industry. Generally, in an informal survey, 60% of our clients and associates weren't feeling it for Biden Harris and certainly not Harris Walz. With clients in Western NC, South Georgia, and Florida no doubt the disaster response didn't help the Democrats. 

Democrats were in control for the last 12 of 16 years, it's an easy and honest rationalization for me to be optimistic and hope Trump shakes the economy up in a positive way.

It's a major reason he was elected, and yeah we have seen a nice surge in business since. Some concerns about tariffs but our shipping should be mostly below the minimum till July. It will be September or October till we feel the full effect. I would be surprised if the tariffs with China last more than 8 weeks

Already some companies have contacted India, Mexico, Vietnam, and Myanmar just in case.

[quintessentone]

Yeah, Ive said it before quintessentone, and thanks for the conversation BTW but, I probably make less than anybody else on here. 
But I live simply and frugally and Im not concerned, Im better off than when we were coming out of COVID a lot better. First quarter this year was a lot better than the previous 4-5.

For my position and my situation, I'll support whoever helps my business/industry. Generally, in an informal survey, 60% of our clients and associates weren't feeling it for Biden Harris and certainly not Harris Walz. With clients in Western NC, South Georgia, and Florida no doubt the disaster response didn't help the Democrats. 

Democrats were in control for the last 12 of 16 years, it's an easy and honest rationalization for me to be optimistic and hope Trump shakes the economy up in a positive way.

It's a major reason he was elected, and yeah we have seen a nice surge in business since. Some concerns about tariffs but our shipping should be mostly below the minimum till July. It will be September or October till we feel the full effect. I would be surprised if the tariffs with China last more than 8 weeks

Already some companies have contacted India, Mexico, Vietnam, and Myanmar just in case.

It is doubtful most of his voters understood how tariffs/taxes work as it is a complicated trading system worldwide; let alone understanding the U.S. always having a surplus in the services market. That is never mentioned, if you notice.

If this trade war is not resolved by Trump as a negotiating tactic (is it?), we can then expect a global trade war. Rolling back tariffs won't be easy as the damage will have already been done. Consumer confidence has already been hit and some businesses put projects on hold because of uncertainty, so this is not helping business at all.

As I've always said Putnam6, the capitalist economic and tax systems that are in place do not work for the majority of humanity.

BTW thanks to you too for the conversation and different point of view.