# Retaliatory tariffs **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 24, 2025, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322 "2025-01-24T04:48:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/161 "2025-02-02T20:14:37Z")
The Economist said these tariffs will cost about US$900 per American. I do not know how they estimated these numbers, of course. The game is not worth the candle. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/162 "2025-02-02T20:25:10Z")
So, you have to pay at least $45,000 in federal income tax to break even with the elevated cost of goods. Somehow, I don’t think that will work out for more citizens. > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > The game is not worth the candle. Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/163 "2025-02-02T20:37:21Z")
Where is all this hypothetical tariff money supposed to be going? What’s trump’s commission? And has any economy type person not in the maladministration spoken out in favor of these tariffs? ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/164 "2025-02-02T20:45:33Z")
It’s a start, no? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/165 "2025-02-02T22:32:13Z")
Why only 10% on China and 25% against Canada and Mexico? Is it because Canada and Mexico is seen as weak and can be easily preyed upon? And China can put up a fight and maybe has (COVID 1.2 million US deaths, more US corps offshoring than in any time in US history after Turmps 1st term where he came against China) ? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/166 "2025-02-02T22:36:30Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > And China can put up a fight and maybe has (COVID 1.2 million US deaths What’s this supposed to mean? I know how I’m reading it. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/167 "2025-02-02T22:37:42Z")
It is 10% on top of the 12% China already pays on many items. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/168 "2025-02-02T22:39:17Z")
Paul Krugman, who no longer works for the NYT (see thread about the NYT becoming pro-trump) writes on his substack about that: > **[Why Has Trump Gone Soft on China and Hard on Canada?](https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/why-has-trump-gone-soft-on-china)** > > National interest? Or personal interest? Including: > My guess is that Trump is imposing steep tariffs on Canada and Mexico just to show that he can — that it’s essentially a dominance display. And the many people pointing out that it’s a terrible idea probably only reinforced his determination to show that he’s in charge and smarter than anyone else. > > What about letting China off easy? We know that Elon Musk has strong business reasons for wanting to treat China gently. > […] > But China thinks it has an ace in its back pocket that could help keep Trump’s more robust policies in check: Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose company depends on good ties with the Asian country. > […] > And then there’s the matter of Trump’s self-dealing, especially through the $Trump and $Melania tokens, which clearly have no intrinsic value. Who bought these tokens? Were they grifts aimed at red-hatted MAGA fans who don’t know better? > > Well, a significant number of small investors did buy them. But Chainalysis found that [94 percent of the tokens](https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/who-owns-trump-coin-whales-retail-investors-buy-meme-token-2025-1) were purchased by around 40 “whales,” large buyers holding more than $10 million worth of the coins. And so on and so forth. Sad, depressing stuff to read, so it is probably true. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/169 "2025-02-02T23:01:18Z")
That makes no sense. Whales can’t vote… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/170 "2025-02-02T23:11:18Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > At most, collecting these tariffs from Canada and Mexico will bring $200 billion to the US (according to The Economist). I am sure The Economist wasn’t dumb enough to say the US collects tariffs from Canada and Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/171 "2025-02-02T23:12:15Z")
or that it will bring money to the US ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/172 "2025-02-02T23:32:40Z")
Obviously I am paraphrasing. Relax. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/173 "2025-02-03T00:17:59Z")
The tariffs have no purpose beyond creating chaos and conflict. He needs to anger and hurt Americans as well. When the conflict inevitably boils up he has the pretext he needs to annex, and angry Americans to support it. It was never about the trade deficit. It was always about annexing what he wants and knows he can take. I’m telling ya, this boy wants to rule the world. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/174 "2025-02-03T05:03:08Z")
Posted this in the other thread on Canadian tariffs, so you may see it twice. Stock market should be down tomorrow due to the tariffs: > **[Dow futures drop more than 450 points after Trump hits U.S. trading partners...](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/02/stock-market-today-live-updates.html)** > > Stock futures tumbled Sunday night to kick off a new trading month as investors weighed new U.S. tariffs on goods from key trade partners. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/175 "2025-02-03T14:12:27Z")
The LCBO (the province-run liquor retailers here in Ontario) have [pulled all American products off their shelves](https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2025/02/lcbo-removing-all-american-products-store-shelves-ontario/). This from our Conservative Premier, who normally leans towards liking Trump (and whose late brother was famously buddies with him). There’s an LCBO here in my office building. It’s on. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/176 "2025-02-03T15:08:46Z")
So how is the stock market today? I am not fluent in these things. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/177 "2025-02-03T15:12:03Z")
The 3 big indexes are all down, but today barely matter. We’ll have a much better view of things Friday evening. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/178 "2025-02-03T15:18:27Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > …she made my other friend think she was on his side, even though she was contradicting everything he said. It’s like an artform. “Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to Hell and having them look forward to the trip.” ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/179 "2025-02-03T15:21:07Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > [@drodrik.bsky.social on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/drodrik.bsky.social/post/3lh7k4vybjk2s) 1. Trump backs down all the time. Probably not on this one; his general agenda seems to be to weaken the country as fast and completely as he can so the retaliations only help him. But he does and has backed down on lots of things, so presenting it otherwise is simply inaccurate. 2. Congress. Ultimately, the President has the control over tariffs that he does because they were granted by Congress. And, likewise, they can stop and undo anything that he tries to accomplish. I’m not sure where the popularity poll crossover point is, precisely, but I’d venture to guess that quite a few congressmen are waiting for that okay to pull the trigger. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322/180 "2025-02-03T15:38:56Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Where is all this hypothetical tariff money supposed to be going? Functionally, it’s a tax. On average, it’s a form of sales tax so it’s probably regressive. But like any tax, by default it just goes to pay for the government and service the debt. Of course, Trump was trying to get [the debt cap](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5080266-trump-presses-congress-debt-limit/) removed for the next few years (and failed), so his total plan seems to be to spend more money than even his tax will raise. > [@](#): > > And has any economy type person not in the maladministration spoken out in favor of these tariffs? There are crazy people in any profession and cognitive dissonance is working overtime among the 40% of those who are faithful to Trump, through thick and thin. We can presume that there’s at least a number of economists among those. And, heck, I just saw a pro-tariff headline on a CNN article the other day. Ultimately, tariffs were born out of worker protectionism. Anyone who wants to appeal to them has an advantage in making the argument. It’s all very left-positive. Tariffs are bad, and have no upside for anyone of right mind. But there isn’t a deficiency of people with a wrong mind. A quick Google search will find you plenty of apologies, platitudes, and thin reasonings. But if anything starts to convince you, I’d suggest you ask back here if there’s any reason to doubt the greatness that is explained in said article. It’s not hard to poke holes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retaliatory-tariffs/1013322.md?page=10)