TARRIFS: WAKE UP YOU DUMB BASTARDS
What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Tariffs…
Tariffs are a TAX mechanism imposed by your own country on YOU, the consumer, to encourage and coerce the purchase of domestic products by making foreign goods more expensive. The money goes to the government, where it is frittered away on vote-getting and special interests.
And it primarily screws consumers by raising the price of domestic products to just under the price of foreign goods, which results in even more taxes imposed upon YOU, the consumer,
The threat of tariffs as a negotiating tool to enforce foreign policy is a game of Russian roulette.
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Trudeau Warns of Retaliatory Tariffs, Says Americans Will Pay More If US Imposes Tariffs on Canada Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned on Thursday that the country would respond with retaliatory tariffs if the United States follows through with plans to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Trudeau promised Canada would counter with a “strong and robust response” if newly inaugurated President Donald Trump were to make good on his promised tariffs, “whether it be back on Jan. 20th, on Feb. 1st or Feb. 15th as a Valentines Day present, or on April 1st or whenever.” “We don’t want this but we will respond if necessary,” Trudeau said of the potential retaliatory tariffs. Trudeau, who announced earlier this month that he will resign as leader of the ruling Liberal Party, added that “everything is on the table” when it comes to retaliatory measures. Canadian lawmakers are currently looking into wide-sweeping retaliatory tariffs for everything from American orange juice and toilets to some steel products. Trudeau warned that tariffs would lead to higher prices not only for Americans who are already grappling with high inflation but for Canadians, too. <Source> |
Tariffs: A Hidden Tax That Hits Consumers the Hardest
When you hear the word "tariff," you might picture it as a tool used to protect local businesses or as part of complex negotiations with foreign countries. But at its core, a tariff is just a tax that you, the consumer, end up paying. And while it may sound like it's designed to help domestic industries, the real story is far more complicated and often detrimental to the very people it’s supposed to protect.
What Are Tariffs?
At its simplest, a tariff is a fee or tax that a government imposes on imported goods. The idea is that consumers will be encouraged to buy domestic alternatives by making foreign products more expensive. On paper, this sounds like a win for local businesses, right? But the reality is far from that simple.
First, it’s important to remember that tariffs are not a free pass for domestic industries to thrive. Instead, they act as a tax mechanism that increases the price of imported goods, which ultimately gets passed down to the consumer. So, when the cost of foreign goods rises, guess who feels the pain? You. And that’s just the beginning.
How Tariffs Hurt You
Tariffs are designed to make foreign products less appealing by increasing prices. However, sensing an opportunity, domestic businesses also raise their prices. The end result? Domestic products become just about as expensive as their foreign counterparts. So, in essence, you’re paying higher prices for both imported and domestic products.
The government, meanwhile, gets a chunk of this price increase in the form of ordinary tax revenue. But where does that money go? Often, it’s funneled into general government spending, which may be used to support special interests, vote-getting strategies, or even subsidize unproductive programs. The idea that this money will benefit consumers or boost the economy is often wishful thinking.
Tariffs and Foreign Policy: A Dangerous Game
Using tariffs to negotiate foreign policy can be likened to playing Russian roulette. Governments often impose tariffs to pressure other nations to change their practices or meet specific demands. The problem is that tariffs, like any weapon, are unpredictable.
One nation might retaliate by imposing its own tariffs, triggering a cycle of escalation that harms both economies. While the government may claim it’s standing up for national interests, it's you, the consumer, who ends up bearing the brunt of these tactics. Tariff volatility can have wide-ranging impacts, from job losses in industries reliant on global supply chains to higher costs for everyday goods.
The Hidden Cost of Tariffs
It is easy to get caught up in the idea that tariffs support local businesses. However, this approach often fails to provide long-term benefits for consumers. Not only do you face higher prices on goods, but you also risk triggering retaliation from other countries, which could harm the broader economy.
Instead of protecting consumers, tariffs inflate prices across the board, diminishing the purchasing power of your hard-earned money—the result is a heavier tax burden and a more complicated, less efficient economy.
Bottom line…
If tariffs aren’t the solution, what is? Encouraging innovation, reducing government intervention in markets, and fostering international trade relationships based on mutual benefit could offer better ways to boost the domestic economy without passing the costs onto consumers.
In the long run, the key to economic growth lies not in protectionist measures like tariffs but in policies that promote free markets and global cooperation.
We are so screwed.
-- Steve
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