[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Cuervo

I understand your concern, but if we focus more on buying our own products unemployment will drop across the board and wages will rise. Today a person buys a product manufactured from a foreign country, that means one less American employee and that also means one less shopper to purchase whatever your employer is selling. Buying American products is a win, win, situation for everyone. Tariffs will end up with prices going up anyway and if you remember the last time we went down this road China retaliated and started importing soybeans from South America hurting U.S. farmers.

Call me skeptical, but I can think of so many reasons why the U.S. cannot compete for product prices with China, I don't know where to start. And, most Americans only care about the getting the lowest price. Some of the reasons U.S. prices are higher are: unions, minimum wages, safety rules, environmental rules, standard of living expectations, work benefits, employment taxes, employer health care mandates, lawsuits, etc., etc., etc.

[Joe C.]

How about this?
Instead of imposing tarriffs on Chinese goods, maybe we should just prohibit certain Chinese made products from entering and being sold in this country. It might slow down Wal-Mart just a bit, but do we really care?

[Cuervo]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Once again. Send me money so I can afford to buy the higher-priced American-made version of whatever I get for less from a Chinese-made product of similar quality.

I'm glad there are American companies that make sneakers for Americans, like New Balance. However - none of their styles are suitable for my feet. So even if I could get them for less than I pay for my Merrel's, I won't buy them. The Merrels are made in China. They're $85. They fit me perfectly, comfortably, don't weigh a ton, look decent with almost everything I wear, and have a wide enough toe box that I don't suffer after walking around for an hour. Find me the same made in America for $85 or less, and I will buy it.

Til then, I guess someone in the USA will have to flip burgers instead of making sneakers. Or maybe get some training and learn to do something more rewarding than making sneakers for a living.

I'm not suggesting you have to buy something that does not meet your needs, what I'm simply saying is if there is a product of equal quality on the shelf and it is a bit more expensive because it is made in America in the long run you will benefit more by spending the extra money. The more people that are employed in the U.S. the better we all are. Every time an American employee is added, that is a new shopper, it's sort of a chain reaction.

[Cuervo]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Call me skeptical, but I can think of so many reasons why the U.S. cannot compete for product prices with China, I don't know where to start. And, most Americans only care about the getting the lowest price. Some of the reasons U.S. prices are highers are: unions, minimum wages, safety rules, environmental rules, standard of living expectations, work benefits, employment taxes, employer health care mandates, lawsuits, etc., etc., etc.

Yes, you are correct that is why prices are higher, but the alternative is something I don't think you would want for yourself. Low wages, no safety protection in the workplace and giving companies the freedom to be as negligent as they please without the fear of lawsuits.
This country has a history of companies putting their employees in dangers to increase their profits.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Joe C.

How about this?
Instead of imposing tarriffs on Chinese goods, maybe we should just prohibit certain Chinese made products from entering and being sold in this country. It might slow down Wal-Mart just a bit, but do we really care?

Wal-mart is where millions of people in this country can AFFORD to buy things that they need for their homes and their families. Like it or not, this country can't afford to buy American. If we could, then Wal-mart wouldn't have done so well decades after they first set up shop here.

Why would I pay $3 for a can of beans, when I can get the exact same can of beans, same size and flavor, for $1.80? Why should I pay $3.54 for a half-gallon of 2% milk at Publix when I can get a half-gallon of 2% milk for $2.45 at Wal-mart? Sure, it's just a few cents. But when you add up every item that you're saving a few cents on, then multiply it by 52 weeks you're buying it every year, you're looking at a couple thousand bucks worth of groceries that you can afford to buy.

Take those couple thousand bucks away, and you're looking at people who live on a budget, having to stop buying ANY fresh foods, buying $1.25 chicken pot pies instead of wholesome foods, using powdered milk instead of real dairy, and eating a LOT of rice and beans. Those families who are already unfortunate to be in that situation, would now have to decide which of their family members will go without lunch.

Inflation happens, no matter who is running the country. People have to pay more, but their opportunities to earn more are not as good as they were in the 1960's and 1970's. The concept of the "company man" who spends most of his adult life in one place of employment, whose employer looks after their employees, has gone the way of the dodo.

Entire party venues have gone out of business because they no longer get the annual picnics that corporations once booked them for. The "culture" of employment has changed. The lifestyles of families relying on one income have changed, and those relying on two incomes has changed. If you're wealthy, NONE of this applies to you, and you have no experience of anything the rest of the country has to endure.

But for those of us who aren't "struggling" - but are trying to maintain a "comfortable" lifestyle while not being wealthy - are having trouble doing so. For us, Wal-mart is a godsend. Walmart is the REASON why I can afford to get good beef at Publix. Walmart is the REASON we can spend money at local restaurants every so often. By saving money on groceries and other essentials, we have more available to spend somewhere else.

If you take that away, you'll see a lot of people like me, no longer spending our money outside the grocery store. We live in a global economy, whether we want to or not. And so some of us choose to make the best of what we have.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Cuervo

I'm not suggesting you have to buy something that does not meet your needs, what I'm simply saying is if there is a product of equal quality on the shelf and it is a bit more expensive because it is made in America in the long run you will benefit more by spending the extra money. The more people that are employed in the U.S. the better we all are. Every time an American employee is added, that is a new shopper, it's sort of a chain reaction.

No, I won't. Because it means I'll have less to spend on something else.

[Number 10 GI]

The only way U.S. consumers will have to pay more because of a tariff, is if they buy Chinese made products.

[Acordionist]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

Will be interesting to see if there is a surge in imports from China in the next two months, with the likelihood of increased tariffs after that.

A bike tire I ordered on-line two weeks ago was sourced direct from China and arrived yesterday, and I suspect WalMart will have a larger number than usual of huge container ships heading our way.

Some people do not seem to understand that a 20% tariff on imports from China means a
higher price for the consumer on the items coming from that country i.e. a TV set that costs at Walmart $500 now will cost $600 after the tariffs. In short, it will harm both consumers as well as the the Chinese manufacturers that will experience a lesser volume of sales

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Number 10 GI

The only way U.S. consumers will have to pay more because of a tariff, is if they buy Chinese made products.

1. That may be the only product available

2. If it isn’t the only product available then US consumers were buying it due to its lower price

3. When tariffs are imposed US consumers will either pay more or do without

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

If tariffs go from 25% to 60% that will greatly affect Chinese imports. Watching closely.

That would definitely be the demise of Chinese outlet stores here, like the $1.25 tree stores, and a number of others. To me the bottom line question is, will the American public actually accept the "pain" along with the aspect of gaining a strong, self-sufficient, country again. This is so incredibly complicated and all factors are interwoven. Illegals for instance, mass deportation and strong border guarding will reduce the number of workers available to butcher and cut meat, to clean hotel rooms, to put on new roofs and mow lawns. That will open jobs for millions on our welfare roles. But.... will Americans in general be willing to pay more for those hotel rooms just because the hotel maids will once again be mainly English speaking (like when I was a kid, on vacation with my parents, we talked with the person cleaning our room, would compliment them, etc.) ? It will come with a price, it will be interesting to see how many of us are willing to put our money where our mouth, the mouth always complaining about the loss of jobs, poor quality of so many goods (how many of your parents had a refrigerator that was still running just fine after 22 years ? Mine sure did ! ), and complain about the real cost of having "cheap labor" which often turns out not to be so cheap after all when things like medical, crowded schools, crowded hospitals, welfare, etc. is all added up ? A lot to think about, a lot to tackle !

[Number 10 GI]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

1. That may be the only product available

2. If it isn’t the only product available then US consumers were buying it due to its lower price

3. When tariffs are imposed US consumers will either pay more or do without

So where do we draw the line? The more cheap Chinese products we buy the more manufacturing plants in the U.S. either close or move their operations overseas for cheaper labor. Where are U.S. citizens going to get the money to buy cheap Chinese made products if there are no jobs? Manufacturing was a big part in the creation of the middle class in this country.
A few years back I visited a friend in Connecticut. The town he lived in was a very prosperous place to live and work. Not any longer! He drove me around the town pointing out numerous shuttered manufacturing facilities that closed due to cheap Chinese products. All there is now are low paying service industry jobs. Gotta have those cheap products!

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Number 10 GI

So where do we draw the line? The more cheap Chinese products we buy the more manufacturing plants in the U.S. either close or move their operations overseas for cheaper labor. Where are U.S. citizens going to get the money to buy cheap Chinese made products if there are no jobs? Manufacturing was a big part in the creation of the middle class in this country.
A few years back I visited a friend in Connecticut. The town he lived in was a very prosperous place to live and work. Not any longer! He drove me around the town pointing out numerous shuttered manufacturing facilities that closed due to cheap Chinese products. All there is now are low paying service industry jobs. Gotta have those cheap products!

Hey, impose policies that drive production back home even if it results in higher prices. No problem, the end result might be worth the pain. But don’t pretend (or lie) that there won’t be pain.

[Caymus]

Much of this will depend on what the government does with the tariff money. Will they pay down the debt or waste it?

Will need to see the effect on employment numbers. I am always amaze at how much of the economy is based on marketing and distributing foreign made products. Many of these consumer products are non-essential.

[biker1]

I doubt there is any color to the money from tariffs. Regardless, we are probably talking about a few hundreds of billions of dollars, potentially. This is relatively small potatoes when we will be paying over 1 trillion to service the debt.

Originally Posted by Caymus

Much of this will depend on what the government does with the tariff money. Will they pay down the debt or waste it?

Will need to see the effect on employment numbers. I am always amaze at how much of the economy is based on marketing and distributing foreign made products. Many of these consumer products are non-essential.

[KAM+6]

Originally Posted by Wondering

Any legitimate economist or financial specialist has stated that tariff's only hurt consumers. Shows you how dumb the person who is pushing for them is in reality. I would be more concerned about the potential increase in produce, meats and dairy when there will be no immigrants to do the work!

You hit the nail on the head!!! Exactly