# Two great infographics on the balance of payments **URL:** \ **Category:** Macro Economic Trends and Risks\ **Created:** [November 6, 2023, 9:45pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096 "2023-11-06T21:45:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PucksFool](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/pucksfool/32/47955_2.png) [@PucksFool](https://discussion.fool.com/u/PucksFool)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 9:45pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/1 "2023-11-06T21:45:52Z")
I finally got around to reading Barry Ritholtz’s ‘The Big Picture’ blog from 11/4. There were several interesting articles in it but it ended with two info graphs that I think are worth looking at. Where the US imports most of its stuff from ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/original/3X/0/8/08966d3193d753621aa0b12a8bdd7a4de3981271.jpeg) Where the US exports most of its stuff to ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/original/3X/e/1/e19785ae2b7bed25584fe9f089d793fd5d3d6cda.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![PucksFool](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/pucksfool/32/47955_2.png) [@PucksFool](https://discussion.fool.com/u/PucksFool)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 9:50pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/2 "2023-11-06T21:50:42Z")
Will someone please explain why our trade balance with Ireland is so out of balance? We seem to be importing over 7X than what we are exporting there. I’ve occasionally bought Irish butter, but that is a whole lot of butter. ---
**Author:** ![DrBob2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/drbob2/32/3456_2.png) [@DrBob2](https://discussion.fool.com/u/DrBob2)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 10:02pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/3 "2023-11-06T22:02:22Z")
> [@PucksFool](#): > > Will someone please explain why our trade balance with Ireland is so out of balance? In a word, drugs. ``` Pharmaceuticals $32.6 billion Organic chemicals 23.7 billion Optical, photo, technical, medical 8.7 billion ``` > **[United States Imports from Ireland - 2024 Data 2025 Forecast 1991-2023...](https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/imports/ireland)** > > United States Imports from Ireland was US$82.71 Billion during 2023, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. United States Imports from Ireland - data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on November... DB2 ---
**Author:** ![38Packard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/38packard/32/13738_2.png) [@38Packard](https://discussion.fool.com/u/38Packard)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 10:03pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/4 "2023-11-06T22:03:48Z")
@DB2 beat me to it. Here’s my rationale… Jameson whiskey? Guinness beer? Irish sweaters? Claddagh Rings? ---
**Author:** ![intercst](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/intercst/32/1543_2.png) [@intercst](https://discussion.fool.com/u/intercst)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 11:30pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/5 "2023-11-06T23:30:24Z")
Ireland went from virtually a 3rd World country in the 1960’s to being as rich as Swtizerland today largely as a result of making investments to educate its English-speaking population. US tax avoidance also played a big part with many US Tech and Pharmaceutical companies moving operations there to take advantage of the educated, English-speaking labor. Today, Ireland is too expensive for most natives to live there, kind of like Silicon Valley/San Francisco. intercst ---
**Author:** ![AlphaWolf](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/alphawolf/32/5945_2.png) [@AlphaWolf](https://discussion.fool.com/u/AlphaWolf)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 11:32pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/6 "2023-11-06T23:32:12Z")
> [@intercst](#): > > US tax avoidance also played a big part with many US Tech and Pharmaceutical companies moving operations there to take advantage of the educated, English-speaking labor. Bingo! You beat me to the punch. ---
**Author:** ![intercst](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/intercst/32/1543_2.png) [@intercst](https://discussion.fool.com/u/intercst)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 11:41pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/7 "2023-11-06T23:41:41Z")
Yep. The Irish call it “Leprechaun economics”. {{ LOL }} If the US wasn’t so bent on celebrating racism, ignorance and innumeracy, we could have a lot of those jobs and industry here, instead of sending it to Ireland. [Leprechaun economics: Ireland’s international status as a tax haven is no longer a debate – The Irish Times](https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2023/02/03/cliff-taylor-leprechaun-economics-lives-on-in-our-12-economic-growth-rate/) intercst ---
**Author:** ![Leap1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/leap1/32/72176_2.png) [@Leap1](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Leap1)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/8 "2023-11-06T23:50:49Z")
It is true US ignorance is on display. The people who are ignorant want to ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![AlphaWolf](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/alphawolf/32/5945_2.png) [@AlphaWolf](https://discussion.fool.com/u/AlphaWolf)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 3:35am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/9 "2023-11-07T03:35:11Z")
Do ignorant people have the capability to ignore their ignorance? 😮 ---
**Author:** ![flyerboys](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/flyerboys/32/2123_2.png) [@flyerboys](https://discussion.fool.com/u/flyerboys)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 3:39am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/10 "2023-11-07T03:39:50Z")
No, And that is the true measure of their ignorance, It is also the only available escape from an infinite regress… david fb (Holy Mary Mother of God the Blessings of Patrick and a few Lepruchans thrown in, but I do love Ireland) ---
**Author:** ![Leap1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/leap1/32/72176_2.png) [@Leap1](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Leap1)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 12:52pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/two-great-infographics-on-the-balance-of-payments/98096/11 "2023-11-07T12:52:23Z")
> [@AlphaWolf](#): > > Do ignorant people have the capability to ignore their ignorance? 😮 Do you think Homer does not know it? Bart lets him know it all the time. 🤣 🤣 🤣 > [@flyerboys](#): > > (Holy Mary Mother of God the Blessings of Patrick and a few Lepruchans thrown in, but I do love Ireland) Oh yes the Irish are merciless is discussing the common git.