Editorials & Other Articles

Ol Janx Spirit

(279 posts)

39. Tariffs are just a form of economic warfare. As such they can do a lot of different things....

Fri May 9, 2025, 11:37 AM

May 9

...including allowing "infant industries" to grow or even keep other countries from influencing your society. And until WWII America had some of the highest tariff rates in the world. But to your point: that was an entirely different world. It wasn't until post WWII that everyday America really developed an apatite for mass-produced products from all around the world. By the mid-1950s the shopping mall was on the rise. The next 70 years would see a worldwide industrial effort to get a dizzying array of products in front of consumers. Tariffs do not make nearly as much sense in this new world of interconnected manufacturing and consumerism. Our economy is now based largely on consumer spending by the middle class. It feels very much like we just went to economic war with our own economy out of a misguided belief in an economic world that no longer exists.

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Trump changes his tune on the economy [View all] Dulcinea May 8 OP

Fool me once, Fool me twice C_U_L8R May 8 #1

You don't need all that money anyway Bluetus May 8 #8

Nobody needs thirty dollars! forgotmylogin May 8 #18

One thing is for sure, True Dough May 8 #2

I suggest he figure it all out by the Midterms. multigraincracker May 8 #3

Americans should buy less....unless we're talking about all the crap he sells, amirite? tanyev May 8 #4

They want a recession really badly IronLionZion May 8 #5

Jesus. underpants May 8 #33

A lot of their nonsense makes sense after that IronLionZion May 8 #34

There's enough in this for several new FAFO flags. usonian May 8 #6

Sounds like a winning message crud May 8 #7

If at one time we were all "wealthy" DemMedic May 8 #9

America will be wealthier than ever Kablooie May 8 #10

Not really IbogaProject May 8 #15

One can hear 'Back in the USSR' as the US is marched toward feudalism Attilatheblond May 8 #16

I believe they plan to deliberately bankrupt the middle and lower classes, while also depriving them of higher education patphil May 8 #11

Ding, ding, ding - by Jove I think you've got it! lark May 8 #13

We all knew piddyprints May 8 #12

Give him a rope to piss up. Too many people can't buy the food they need. Attilatheblond May 8 #14

Same ol' belt-tightening austerity rhetoric from these piss-on I MEAN trickle-down stans Montauk6 May 8 #17

Do it for the poor billionaires Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin May 8 #19

Those bdamomma May 8 #26

Expecting every citizen to pay an additional 25%+ in taxes on everything imported Warpy May 8 #20

Odd how the press was talking about how everyday people were struggling underpants May 8 #32

Wait; what? We were clearly told that tariffs were going to pay for childcare for all Americans; eliminate... Ol Janx Spirit May 8 #21

Tariffs are meant to protect your domestic production I thought underpants May 8 #30

Tariffs are just a form of economic warfare. As such they can do a lot of different things.... Ol Janx Spirit May 9 #39

Ha! He's still sing the same ol' tune "Blame Biden, blame Biden, tra la tra la.." FailureToCommunicate May 8 #22

"the White House's messaging has evolved". Oh Yes. Kinda' like falsehoods are "Evolving" chouchou May 8 #23

There is no White House messaging it turns on a dime dependent on his whim underpants May 8 #31

What you say is true. I'm usually confused about the whole Trump reality. chouchou May 8 #36

His tacit admission the Trump Tax has begin trickling down onto the consumer. Torchlight May 8 #24

I needed some dental work done. BidenRocks May 8 #25

Soon to become Biden instituted the tariffs and I'm fixing his catastrophe. NoMoreRepugs May 8 #27

Lap it up Magats. You always do. Hassler May 8 #28

It sounds Soviet. Depress want/demand. He sounds like he's got some give up. underpants May 8 #29

He wants higher prices, he wants people to buy less, he wants fewer middle-class jobs. Midnight Writer May 8 #35

Why not, it worked on Britain. Grokenstein May 8 #37

Taxing the magats even more mdbl May 9 #38

The tariff money goes into a separate account at the US treasury that only he can spend PortTack May 9 #40