Trade agreements????

  • Randy Wieland
    Lebanon. WI
    Posts: 13910
    #2315563

    I know this has been getting beat up by everyone on the speculation of what will the final results of the proposed tariffs and revising the trade agreements. But where is the master plan? Where is the “blueprint” on how this will be achieved and what is really being done to assure we build our infrastructure to support self-sufficiencies in a global market? Additionally, we have already brainwashed the majority of our next generations to not work hard and forgo taking pride in doing quality work. How do we break that cycle?

    As consumers, we all complain about getting tapped out whenever we buy something. Lord knows prices are getting out of control. Each $.20 (based on 20%) of additional tariff of import will result in roughly $.60 additional retail cost to you and I. Its an increased cost of business and the cost PLUS all the O/P markup gets passed along to us. I am already at the point that I will never buy a new truck, new boat, along with many other things. I work too dam hard for what I have and I refuse to pizz it away. I know a lot of people in the same position. Everything from fishing/hunting equipment, vehicles, tractors, implement equipment, houses, remodeling, …… At some point, people are going to hit the brakes on their excessive debt levels with buying stuff. When they do, its a domino affect of companies losing, jobs, sales tax, state/fed income tax, and all the other tax/fees we are burdened with.

    Trade embargos, tariff increases, and a focus on using NON-renewable resources has destroyed the fur industry. I’m dumbfounded that I buy better quality products from China than I do made here in the states. Every company I know, including our’s can not hire enough people that will work for a decent wage. As freaking stupid as this sounds, is it going to take another world war to ignite American pride again?

    I saw Trump blabbering as he does about how bad the previous trade agreement with Canada was and blah, blah, blah. I looked it up to make sure I was correct and it was HIS administration’s doing in 2018. Trumps canada/mexico trade agreement signing 2018 Ironicly, last time I went to Canada through Windsor, we had every square inch of my truck & boat searched in Canada. They were very polite and professional about it. In general discussion, they indicated how bad the drug trafficking is from the United States into Canada. Yet, all we hear is how bad Canada is for us. Truth or fiction????? If it comes from a politician, I don’t believe it – regardless of what self-indulging party it is. I just hope when the slap of reality hits everyone, we don’t end up driving ourselves into another great depression.

    CaptainMusky
    Posts: 24668
    #2315566

    I believe the current agreement with Mexico and Canada called “United States- Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)” was signed in 2020.
    I honestly dont buy they we are going to impose significant tariffs on either Canada or Mexico. There was a pause on implementing them the day they were supposed to go into affect AND it was going to “only” be a 10% tariff down from what the original one as far as I read. I think there will be an agreement in place that helps us and our neighbors.
    How this all affects what you or I buy will remain to be seen. THe vast majority of what I read about direct impacts to consumers seems largely fear mongering. I just saw yesterday that eggs are 1/3 the cost in Canada as they are here. I guess they didnt slaughter hundreds of millions of chickens recently.
    Regarding the drugs, I would imagine there is a fair amount of that going both ways. The human trafficking from Canada is higher than we really hear about too. There is very little surveillance from what I have heard. The numbers pale in comparison to the Southern border however.

    DaveB
    Inver Grove Heights MN
    Posts: 4547
    CaptainMusky
    Posts: 24668
    #2315581

    This describes the goal, how effective it will be, we will see

    Yeah, I am optimistic too and taking the same approach as you. With everything Trump has done so far it is sure ruffling some feathers with identifying wasteful spending. Before this week I had never even heard of USAID.
    Its in our best interest to have good trade relationships with our neighbors and work together to secure the border on both sides. Seems like steps are taking place toward that which is encouraging.

    big_g
    Isle, MN
    Posts: 22932
    #2315582

    Those drugs “pouring into Canada from the US” are pouring “through the US, from Mexico, into Canada”. The blah blah guy is putting the kibosh on that as quick as he can. Also, trade agreements are only good if the countries involved “follow/adhere” to them. Canada and Mexico are not holding up their end of the agreement and that is hardly Trumps fault. The economy was jacked before Covid, it just made it even harder to move forward… it’s gonna take more than 4 years to fix what was broken.

    Randy Wieland
    Lebanon. WI
    Posts: 13910
    #2315591

    it’s gonna take more than 4 years to fix what was broken.

    no doubt. I’ll be fertilizing the ground before I see significant change. It all stems back to us allowing career politicians. Too many cookie monsters in the cookie jar with no oversight.

    OG Net_Man
    Posts: 865
    #2315599

    USAID – I am guessing that they provide funding of value somewhere but some of the spending is surely BS. As a tax payer I wonder who the he!! is authorizing some of this asinine spending. Usually when some thing like this is uncovered you have many people denying the accuracy of the information but I have not seen that yet. Maybe I missed some thing….

    Trump is moving so fast on so many fronts the other party can’t keep up with their outrage.

    CaptainMusky
    Posts: 24668
    #2315600

    It all stems back to us allowing career politicians. Too many cookie monsters in the cookie jar with no oversight.

    THIS!!!!!!!

    Don Meier
    Butternut Wisconsin
    Posts: 1753
    #2315604

    Maybe when America takes over Gaza to build a bigly beautiful Gaza Riviera things will be hugly greatly better than no one has ever seen before ? We are screwed !

    Full draw
    Posts: 1516
    #2315609

    I would be good with a 10% Tariff across the board for all imports around the world. Then cut federal taxes along with it.
    Yes we signed the USMCA and it went into affect around 2020 then Canada started kicking in massive tariffs on us around 2022. Dairy products are somewhere in the 240% range.
    Haven’t been able to find the complete list but some of the things are definitely head scratchers that I have heard about.

    USAID is nothing more than a CIA/State Department conduit. Lots of sleazy things have come through that place. The biggest problem with them is they didn’t think they had to answer to the people we elected.

    A few names that worked for USAID over the years. Obama’s mom, Liz Cheney and AOC when she was going to college in Nigeria.

    buckybadger
    Upper Midwest
    Posts: 8983
    #2315612

    …in before the lock/deleted thread

    coffee

    BigWerm
    SW Metro
    Posts: 12448
    #2315613

    We tolerated a tilted scale for far too long, and Trump is using tariffs to bring our modern Western allies closer to a level playing field of trade. Personally I’d like to see all tariffs go away and let the market handle it, but I don’t know any other way of getting there than retaliatory tariffs to make them fall in line. I doubt it ever gets to true open market competition, but it is marginally heading that direction now.

    Attachments:
    1. IMG_9242.jpeg

    Bearcat89
    North branch, mn
    Posts: 22107
    #2315616

    Maybe when America takes over Gaza to build a bigly beautiful Gaza Riviera things will be hugly greatly better than no one has ever seen before ? We are screwed !

    What would your suggestion be ? The way things were going was bad for all of us.

    Randy Wieland
    Lebanon. WI
    Posts: 13910
    #2315619

    <div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Randy Wieland wrote:</div>
    It all stems back to us allowing career politicians. Too many cookie monsters in the cookie jar with no oversight.

    THIS!!!!!!!

    It would about kill our gov’t puppets, but imagine single line item bills. No hiding 1,000’s of pages of hidden BS as part of getting something approved. 1 item – vote yes/no and there you have it.
    Too often the final draft of a bill signed has so many strings attached that neither Sherrie Westin or Jim Henson could keep up with it

    Joe Jarl
    SW Wright County
    Posts: 2230
    #2315635

    Maybe when America takes over Gaza to build a bigly beautiful Gaza Riviera things will be hugly greatly better than no one has ever seen before ? We are screwed !

    In before the lock! yay I agree the comments on Gaza are over the top. My guess is the comments about taking it over are similar to the 25% tariffs on our neighbors. Nothing but a bargaining tool.

    Don, as far as being “screwed”, do you have examples from his first term that screwed the average person?? One thing I was disappointed in during that time was him signing off on the Covid stimulus spending that started us down the road toward the crazy inflation we’ve seen.

    Full draw
    Posts: 1516
    #2315640

    Maybe when America takes over Gaza to build a bigly beautiful Gaza Riviera things will be hugly greatly better than no one has ever seen before ? We are screwed !

    Anyone that follows Trumps foreign policy knows he has no intentions of taking over Gaza. That was a signal to the Middle East to clean up this mess that has been going on for decades.
    It’s also a signal to countries that have criticized Israel but refuse to take in Gaza refugees.

    Here is one I bet most probably don’t know. October 7th was an attack that was planned if Afghanistan. We all know who likes to hide out over there. Sarah Adam’s (Ex CIA targeter) is a good person to follow when it comes to terrorist and Al queda especially.

    buckybadger
    Upper Midwest
    Posts: 8983
    #2315641

    ^Yes Trump’s take on Gaza was bats*** crazy. It’s the world’s dumpster of chaos, destruction, and conflict. Steer clear of that mess at all costs.

    10klakes
    Posts: 584
    #2315647

    USAID – I am guessing that they provide funding of value somewhere but some of the spending is surely BS.

    100% was helping and providing humanitarian aid overseas, but I’ll agree I guarantee there was also waste. US AID provided funds to a number of different denominations and missions work, I’ll link one example. I’m fairly religious and personally support overseas missions work, but should be the government be funding religious mission work or should it be 100% privately funded- I don’t know the correct answer…
    https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/catholic-aid-group-cuts-usaid-freeze/

    Riverrat
    Posts: 1822
    #2315655

    The top recipient is that Catholic Aid Group. Except that’s not the name they use when they receive the funding. Number two is Chem something. They have a mission statement clearly written to be ambiguous. Two of the top five are for profit orgs. The US itself disburses 4% of the money. Other governments 5%. Not surprised that Israel is down with Trumps plan. “Oh you want to step in to a 10000 year conflict and commit genocide so we don’t have to? Come on over.” We do need to stay out of that mess. I’d rather support Ukraine, at least we can screw with the Ruskies that way. They were always a fun enemy with their weird experiments and colossal archaic war machines.

    10klakes
    Posts: 584
    #2315662

    Thanks Riverrat, I’ll have to do some homework on the funds. I don’t think anyone supports mis use of money.

    Ice Cap
    Posts: 2247
    #2315663

    USAID is turning out to be little more than a money laundering scheme. Politico was getting millions from USAID to be a media arm for the dem party. Lots of waste and taxpayer money lining pockets of people who don’t deserve or need it on both sides and around the world. Doge now has access to CMS (Center for Medicaid and Medicare payments) big fraud stink has always been coming from there. If we can do away with somewhere even close to 50% of fraud and wasteful spending and fund the slimmed down government with tariffs and greatly reduce or eliminate the federal income tax the Republicans may never lose an election again.

    Sounds like the Department of Education is about to be at the end of it’s run as well. Many exploding heads coming soon.

    Baitwaster
    South metro
    Posts: 548
    #2315665

    USAID – I am guessing that they provide funding of value somewhere but some of the spending is surely BS.

    Even the mob had a legit front when they were doing their thing…

    Riverrat
    Posts: 1822
    #2315667

    Politico got 8 million dollars total. DOGE received 7 million the first week they were operating. Tried to get the complete spending PDF and guess what, No USAID office, means no access to their public finance records.

    Reef W
    Posts: 3192
    #2315670

    USAID is turning out to be little more than a money laundering scheme. Politico was getting millions from USAID to be a media arm for the dem party.

    8.4 million in 2024 and $44k was from USAID total, $24k in 2024. Politico Pro is a policy research platform that has good reason for people to use in their jobs. Check out the numbers for yourself: https://www.usaspending.gov/recipient/fa0cefae-7cfb-881d-29c3-1bd39cc6a49e-C/latest

    Edit:corrected numbers

    John Rasmussen
    Blaine
    Posts: 6736
    #2315672

    I’m all for him blowing this up. So tired of the crooks getting our money and misusing it.

    Pailofperch
    Central Mn North of the smiley water tower
    Posts: 3216
    #2315673

    I saw a list of things with amounts of money that USAID was actually going to. It was kinda like thinking the MN lottery funds all go straight to wildlife and conservation. It needed to be shutdown and at a minimum cleaned out and restructured. Anyone who thinks Trump just wants people to die and for the US to not offer aid anymore is a lunatic.

    It will be impossible, as proven in the last 8 years, to be patient and give Trump and his plan time to work. I love the fact that he got to work before even getting sworn in.
    Anyone who has ever worked hard at something knows there might be blood, sweat, tears, and money before you see the fruits of your labor. Think food plots for deer, or time and investment on your kids hockey games. It might take a bit. The media is gonna feed so much negativity down our throats that nothing is working and it’s all getting worse. Meanwhile they just didn’t 4 years telling us how good it was. roll

    Ryan Schwartz
    Western WI
    Posts: 245
    #2315674

    Maybe I have been living under a rock, but I had never heard of USAID until it was in the news lately. I have read some of the programs it’s funding overseas and it’s quite comical.

    Gitchi Gummi
    Posts: 3419
    #2315677

    A huge part of the tariff conversation comes down to prices and labor. A main reason why things from China/Mexico/etc are so cheap is because they have much, much less restrictive labor laws. They extort unethically cheap labor and as a result, can manufacture really cheap products. Our country simply cannot compete with their prices because their labor is a fraction of the cost of domestic labor. Sure bringing back manufacturing to America is a great thought but we simply cannot compete with the labor of China and similar countries. Throwing unnecessary taxes/tariffs on the American public isn’t going to fix that issue. I’d love for someone to illustrate how it will fix things.

    Looking at the agricultural side of things. According to the USDA, ~40% of agricultural workers are illegal immigrants. These are low paying, highly labor intensive jobs that many Americans simply don’t want to work. When the current administration deports all of these illegals and the agricultural industry loses almost half of its work force, what are the ramifications going to be from that? I can’t imagine anything positive.

    During Trump’s first term, he ended up having to bailout farmers TWICE due to the tariffs he put in place and it cost double the auto bailouts. And given the Chinese market is probably lost to brazil forever because of this, we will be bailing out soy farmers for a long time.

    Fun fact. According to the institute on taxation and economic policy, in 2022 undocumented immigrants paid $96 Billion in federal, state and local taxes with the majority of that amount ($60B) going to the federal government. These undocumented workers are paying into medicare and social security systems that they will never be able to draw from and they’re working low paying, labor intensive jobs that Americans don’t want to work.

Viewing 30 posts - 1 through 30 (of 61 total)

The topic ‘Trade agreements????’ is closed to new replies.