I may be the only person who finds this to be good news, but here it is:
U.S. Takes First Step Towards Four-Year China Tariffs Review
The U.S. Trade Representative’s office is notifying representatives of domestic industries that benefit from the duties of their possible end at their four-year anniversary, and the opportunity to request that they remain, it said on Tuesday. If a request for continuation is received by July 6, the USTR will keep the tariffs in place as it conducts a review to determine their need going forward…
For one thing, I find it silly to place tariffs on generic, commodity, or ordinary common building and construction components that can be manufactured more efficiently and cheaply overseas, shipped in bulk, and thereby help to lower the per square foot cost to build housing for US consumers.
Likewise, I find it ridiculous to place tariffs on Canadian or Mexican products that can be produced cheaper by our closest neighbors - especially Canadian lumber, which can bring down the cost of building affordable housing.
With interest rates slowly “normalizing,” builders will desperately need access to cheap imported components in order to have any chance of constructing affordable starter homes or reasonably priced housing.
" I find it silly to place tariffs on generic, commodity, or ordinary common building and construction components that can be manufactured more efficiently and cheaply overseas,"
It depends on WHY they can be manufactured more efficiently and cheaply.
If it’s because they have a more abundant supply of raw materials, yes, it’s silly to restrict trade.
If it’s because they are paying less and abusing the global environment, then not restricting trade is simply condoning the exploitation of others for our benefit.
" I find it silly to place tariffs on generic, commodity, or ordinary common building and construction components that can be manufactured more efficiently and cheaply overseas,"
over the last 35 years we as a nation have made a lot of exceptions for dumping. A practice by other nations of producing at high cost a good for their domestic consumption only to turn around and sell it under cost to the US. This allows the competing nation to take over our markets.
I think worrying about individual wallets instead of our national, our common good, and our corporations has to end. It might be comfortable to get cheap goods but it is very unwise.
We can afford to pay more now. In the long run with manufacturing processes we will create a lot of manufacturing deflationary forces in the US economy with Made in America. We will also get much wealthier as a nation. I wont trade that for a little comfort today.
Mexico and Canada are different. We have agreements with them for manufacturing and a shared North American market. That agreement is not really part of this discussion.
The expectation with manufacturing returning to the US is much of the factory work will happen in new factories in Mexico. But for the Mexicans that will be disrupted by automation of US factories.
For one thing, I find it silly to place tariffs on generic, commodity, or ordinary common building and construction components that can be manufactured more efficiently and cheaply overseas, shipped in bulk, and thereby help to lower the per square foot cost to build housing for US consumers.
Great for consumers, but not so great for the U.S. providers of generic, commodity, or ordinary common building and construction components.
Likewise, I find it ridiculous to place tariffs on Canadian or Mexican products that can be produced cheaper by our closest neighbors - especially Canadian lumber, which can bring down the cost of building affordable housing.