rump's trade wars

Happy Independence Day to you, mimiro and all the good folk like you in the USA. Least said about your president, the better.

fennel sorry went off to do yard work and the heat wiped me out.just wrote a huge post and it disappearred.today is our 4th of july celebration.
will be having all the family,my mom calls us the league of nations.scots,irish,dutch,american indians,asian indians,columbian,mexican,polynesian,creole,blacks of african descent,and welcoming a new bride from japan.my fridge and kitchen are filling up with an amazing variety of food.trying not to dig into the empanadas.columbian sil is a caterer.
this is what america is supposed to be about,not an overgrown toddler destroying it all.
i will probably be back after all this is over.
to any from the usa here and abroad happy 4th

Is anyone going to the Trump protest rally in London on 13th July?

President Donald Trump is now at full-scale war over trade policy with some of the Republican Party’s staunchest allies in big business, including executives at iconic American brands such as General Motors and Harley-Davidson who previously shied away from criticizing an often irascible president.

Trump’s approach has created a high-stakes showdown without recent political precedent: A Republican president betting that his populist approach to trade will thrill his working-class base and blow away any short-term economic fallout or reduced political support from the nation’s largest business organizations. His message to corporate America so far: I don’t care what you say, my base is with me.

www.politico.com/story/2018/07/03/trump-war-corporate-america-harley-davidson-666926

Big business and the GOP (Republican Party) are declaring war on Trump’s trade agenda

www.vox.com/world/2018/7/3/17530516/chamber-commerce-trump-tariffs-trade-war-china

mimiro - please post more of your American views on here. We need a balanced view. .

rump has been screwing americans for many decades.nothing new.
the only reason we got more hurricane protection this year is a majority of his businesses and personal homes(estates in florida,penthouse in ny and whatever else hes got hidden away) are on the regular hurricane path and he wants in on the $$$$$$$.
having a gameshow host for a president sucks and we have 2 more years of this if they don't get rid of him.

During his election campaign Trump liked to accuse his opponents of being "the elite". He said "Globalization has made the financial elite who donate to politicians very wealthy. But it has left millions of our workers with nothing but poverty and heartache. I want you to imagine how much better our future can be if we declare independence from the elites who’ve led us to one financial and foreign policy disaster after another. I was on the right side of that issue — with the people — while Hillary, as always, stood with the elites."

Now he seems to have turned that statement upside down, saying: "We have more money and more brains and better houses and apartments and nicer boats. We are smarter than they are. They say the elite. We are the elite. You are the elite. "

nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/06/trump-calls-supporters-elite-doesnt-understand-populism.html

Didn't protectionist trade tariffs by America play a big part in the 1930s Depression starting a global trade war, which if it did not cause the Depression at least it exacerbated it? Let's hope we're not at the start of a similar situation now, particularly as Brexit looms.

According to the BBC the cost of metals for industry has now risen for American manufacturers! I'm not sure how that's supposed to help their industry.

Trump's trade was is harming Harley Davidson, not helping it in any way

How is his trade was helping Harley Davidson?

Talking of Trump, I was very interested to read that according to Thomas Markle, Prince Harry is 'willing to give him a chance'.

That has always been my view actually, but of course so many people have decided they hate him, so will never give him any credit for any achievements.

As has been said, he vowed to help US industries, and that is what he is doing.

That most iconic American company, Harley Davidson, has announced it will relocate much of its production abroad to avoid the increased tarrifs imposed by Europe in response to Trump's hike in tarrifs on imports. What did he expect?

Republicans are finally reaching their breaking point with President Donald Trump on trade.

One faction of GOP senators is pushing Sen. Bob Corker's (R-Tenn.) legislation that would allow Congress to block Trump's tariffs — which Trump is trying to kill before it comes to the Senate floor. Another group is holding private meetings with Trump, hoping it can convince him via back-channel negotiations to back off a brewing trade war with U.S. allies before Congress steps in.

www.politico.com/story/2018/06/06/trump-tariffs-bob-corker-bill-629124

It seems to be all too easy for right wing politicians and media proprietors to exploit the discontent and anger of those who are having a hard life.

It does not seem to matter that they should be blaming our present and past governments for their woes - it seems to be easy to find another villain to pin the blame on -foreigners, immigrants, the EU, "them".

This has happened so many times in history and the only possible solution has to be a fairer society and better education so that their ignorance cannot be exploited .

Yes Fennel, its worrying.

That's true, gilly.
And also the kind of situation that Hitler exploited in the early 30s depression.

I think when the rich get considerably richer and the poor get considerably poorer then there is always a danger of politicians with extreme views gaining support . People need something to cling to.

Varian in the OP
'This report was published before the presidential election, and yet huge numbers of "rustbelt" voters still chose Trump!!!'
A similar thing happened in the last french pres. election - much of Marine LePen's support came from the NE France rustbelt.

I think Trump promises big (to keep his core supporters happy) but delivers small. His followers remember his declared agenda more than the outcome. ie Obama Care hasn't been dismantled, Mexican Wall, and now downplaying what is achievable in N. Korea for example?

But I do agree that he is doing what he said on his tin.

"ejection promise" - wishful thinking maybe?!

I wonder if he's had to do it because the US economy isn't as healthy as he pretends?

I can't stand Trump and think this sudden imposition of a 25% tariff is very foolhardy and damaging to world stability.

However, I think the globalisation of markets has to some extent resulted in a "race to the bottom". I don't believe the answer is to start a trade war - that will just cause chaos. I think the various economies of the world should focus more on co-operation rather than competition and try and establish who should be making what in order avoid over-production and massive surpluses. Easier said than done I know, but perhaps a new approach is needed.