Please explain the positive value of tariffs to the U.S.

[Redwolf]

Mexico tarifs suspended for now. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y03qleevvo

[FarAway Sooner]

In general:  Tariffs are effective countermeasures when somebody is adopting anti-competitive practices against your nation's firms.  They can also be useful if you are trying to protect national security interests (e.g., manufacturing medical masks), although there are often cheaper ways to do that.

Otherwise, tariffs generally end up favoring some domestic sectors over others at a cost to consumers/taxpayers.  If you want the government putting its thumb on the free market scale to help some industries/firms, that's not a bad thing.  If you don't want the government doing so, it's hard to view it as anything more than an evil that is occasionally necessary (see the first paragraph above).

In the cases of Mexico and Canada, both of whom already enjoyed Most Favored Nation Status and were charging us no tariffs, I'm left scratching my head.  Hopefully it's just a bargaining tool, but I'm not sure what concessions we really need from the Canadians in particular. 

Unless we've just had our fill of those maple syrup-guzzling, poutein-chomping hockey nuts?   

[Jarhead0331]

^Canadians charge tariffs on US products. Lumber and dairy has been mentioned. It is somewhat difficult to find information though on the extent of the tariffs prior to 2025, as all anybody wants to talk about now are the retaliatory tariffs recently imposed in response to Trump.

[Jarhead0331]

I found this to be an informative article...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trump-global-tariffs-canada-1.7484790?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

[al_infierno]

Interesting article from Steven Jackson Games on the effect of recent tariffs on board gaming.

https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/2025-04-03

On April 5th, a 54% tariff goes into effect on a wide range of goods imported from China. For those of us who create boardgames, this is not just a policy change. It's a seismic shift.

At Steve Jackson Games, we are actively assessing what this means for our products, our pricing, and our future plans. We do know that we can't absorb this kind of cost increase without raising prices. We've done our best over the past few years to shield players and retailers from the full brunt of rising freight costs and other increases, but this new tax changes the equation entirely.

Here are the numbers: A product we might have manufactured in China for $3.00 last year could now cost $4.62 before we even ship it across the ocean. Add freight, warehousing, fulfillment, and distribution margins, and that once-$25 game quickly becomes a $40 product. That's not a luxury upcharge; it's survival math.

Some people ask, "Why not manufacture in the U.S.?" I wish we could. But the infrastructure to support full-scale boardgame production – specialty dice making, die-cutting, custom plastic and wood components – doesn't meaningfully exist here yet. I've gotten quotes. I've talked to factories. Even when the willingness is there, the equipment, labor, and timelines simply aren't.

We aren't the only company facing this challenge. The entire board game industry is having very difficult conversations right now. For some, this might mean simplifying products or delaying launches. For others, it might mean walking away from titles that are no longer economically viable. And, for what I fear will be too many, it means closing down entirely.

Tariffs, when part of a long-term strategy to bolster domestic manufacturing, can be an effective tool. But that only works when there's a plan to build up the industries needed to take over production. There is no national plan in place to support manufacturing for the types of products we make. This isn't about steel and semiconductors. This is about paper goods, chipboard, wood tokens, plastic trays, and color-matched ink. These new tariffs are imposing huge costs without providing alternatives, and it's going to cost American consumers more at every level of the supply chain.

We want to be transparent with our community. This is real: Prices are going up. We're still determining how much and where.

If you're frustrated, you're not alone. We are too. And if you want to help, write to your elected officials. Ask them how these new policies help American creators and small businesses. Because right now, it feels like they don't.

We'll keep making games. But we'll be honest when the road gets harder, because we know you care about where your games come from – and about the people who make them.

-- Meredith Placko

[Jarhead0331]

^In the short term, board games are probably the least of our worries.

For instance, this is going to have a devastating impact on the price of many imported foreign models of AK-47 produced under license. Damn it!

 

[Con]

Wait until the average person finds out how all the medical devices and drug manufacturing equipment is made
Don't get sick for the next couple of years

[al_infierno]

Can someone who's smart with economics please explain how the recent stock market activity is (or eventually will be) a good thing for Americans? 

[Jarhead0331]

Can someone who's smart with economics please explain how the recent stock market activity is (or eventually will be) a good thing for Americans? 

The stock market will recover. The point of the tariffs is to return manufacturing infrastructure and jobs to the US. This will make the US stronger, more secure and self-sufficient in the long run. Sure, we might not be able to get cheap Chinese crap anymore, but you know, you have to prioritize.

Virtually every country, even our closest allies, have imposed tariffs on the US for decades. Now the US is imposing them in return. The policy isnt the problem. The way it's all being rolled out and poor messaging is.

[JudgeDredd]

Can someone who's smart with economics please explain how the recent stock market activity is (or eventually will be) a good thing for Americans? 

The stock market will recover. The point of the tariffs is to return manufacturing infrastructure and jobs to the US. This will make the US stronger, more secure and self-sufficient in the long run. Sure, we might not be able to get cheap Chinese crap anymore, but you know, you have to prioritize.

Virtually every country, even our closest allies, have imposed tariffs on the US for decades. Now the US is imposing them in return. The policy isnt the problem. The way it's all being rolled out and poor messaging is.

It was Reagan and Thatcher historically who embraced the open world market...that's one of the reasons why manufacturing left the US...and the UK.


The stock market eventually recovering doesn't help people pulling their pensions.

That fuckers wiped £16k off my pension

[Jarhead0331]

Can someone who's smart with economics please explain how the recent stock market activity is (or eventually will be) a good thing for Americans? 

The stock market will recover. The point of the tariffs is to return manufacturing infrastructure and jobs to the US. This will make the US stronger, more secure and self-sufficient in the long run. Sure, we might not be able to get cheap Chinese crap anymore, but you know, you have to prioritize.

Virtually every country, even our closest allies, have imposed tariffs on the US for decades. Now the US is imposing them in return. The policy isnt the problem. The way it's all being rolled out and poor messaging is.

It was Reagan and Thatcher historically who embraced the open world market...that's one of the reasons why manufacturing left the US...and the UK.


The stock market eventually recovering doesn't help people pulling their pensions.

That fuckers wiped £16k off my pension

Don't make it political JD. I'm not pointing the finger at who is responsible, but it did not start with Reagan and Tatcher. It started much earlier in the 1930s. Successive US administrations embraced the free market policy, including neocons. The point is that it had a devastating impact on US manufacturing and national security.

I'm sorry about your pension.

[JudgeDredd]

For the record, I'm in favour of bringing manufacturing back in house though...maybe tariffs is the only way to do it.

I can't help but think there's alot of people going to get rich from this fucking role coaster and it isn't ordinary people.

[JudgeDredd]

Can someone who's smart with economics please explain how the recent stock market activity is (or eventually will be) a good thing for Americans? 

The stock market will recover. The point of the tariffs is to return manufacturing infrastructure and jobs to the US. This will make the US stronger, more secure and self-sufficient in the long run. Sure, we might not be able to get cheap Chinese crap anymore, but you know, you have to prioritize.

Virtually every country, even our closest allies, have imposed tariffs on the US for decades. Now the US is imposing them in return. The policy isnt the problem. The way it's all being rolled out and poor messaging is.

It was Reagan and Thatcher historically who embraced the open world market...that's one of the reasons why manufacturing left the US...and the UK.


The stock market eventually recovering doesn't help people pulling their pensions.

That fuckers wiped £16k off my pension

Don't make it political JD. I'm not pointing the finger at who is responsible, but it did not start with Reagan and Tatcher. It started much earlier in the 1930s. Successive US administrations embraced the free market policy, including neocons. The point is that it had a devastating impact on US manufacturing and national security.

I'm sorry about your pension.

Sorry.

My pension will recover...it's people who are due to cash it in now that'll suffer.

[Jarhead0331]

Can someone who's smart with economics please explain how the recent stock market activity is (or eventually will be) a good thing for Americans? 

The stock market will recover. The point of the tariffs is to return manufacturing infrastructure and jobs to the US. This will make the US stronger, more secure and self-sufficient in the long run. Sure, we might not be able to get cheap Chinese crap anymore, but you know, you have to prioritize.

Virtually every country, even our closest allies, have imposed tariffs on the US for decades. Now the US is imposing them in return. The policy isnt the problem. The way it's all being rolled out and poor messaging is.

It was Reagan and Thatcher historically who embraced the open world market...that's one of the reasons why manufacturing left the US...and the UK.


The stock market eventually recovering doesn't help people pulling their pensions.

That fuckers wiped £16k off my pension

Don't make it political JD. I'm not pointing the finger at who is responsible, but it did not start with Reagan and Tatcher. It started much earlier in the 1930s. Successive US administrations embraced the free market policy, including neocons. The point is that it had a devastating impact on US manufacturing and national security.

I'm sorry about your pension.

Sorry.

My pension will recover...it's people who are due to cash it in now that'll suffer.

Yes. Some people will suffer, but many people were suffering with the status quo too. If the policy works, it will make the country stronger. Of course, there is no guaranty, in which case maybe we will be all screwed.

The point is that the policy is sound, but you won't hear anybody in the mainstream media reporting that. It is all going to be doom and gloom.

[Jarhead0331]

A drunk driver loses control of his car, swerves into oncoming traffic, barely missing a school bus loaded with kids and a concrete truck, jumps the curb and launches into a house causing catastrophic damage.

Within minutes, 10 News Agencies descend upon the Home, interviewing the Home Owners, witnesses and passersby to flesh out the story. Astonishingly, the driver isn't arrested but is instead ushered away in a limousine. Neither the Press nor anyone looking on seems a bit concerned by this and seem almost oblivious.

The story goes worldwide, drawing spectators, photographers, street vendors from far away selling widgets, bobbles, mugs, t-shirts, coffee and donuts. The Mayor is interviewed and speaks glowingly about how his Administration has paved the way for business growth, and a plethora of inexpensive gifts and snacks made available due his shrewd handling of the situation.

Lost in the coverage are the homeowners whose lives have been turned upside down as the Mayor and his building department have denied them building permits to repair their home. The Insurance Company canceled the home policy and the Bank foreclosed on the home.
Unbelievable, right?

The Mayor loses his re-election bid to someone new to the Town who promised to help the displaced homeowners, fix the house, punish the drunk driver and kick the opportunistic street vendors off of the property.

The media goes wild! Who does this newcomer think he is? Driving the out-of-town street vendors off the property and denying locals of their cheap bobbles, widgets and mugs and some of the people agree.

He speeds through the permitting process allowing the Home Owners to hire a contractor and to rebuild their home. Some of the people are not happy, gathering to protest, vandalizing equipment, the home and threatening the new Mayor and the home owners.

.......By now you've figured out that this is an allegory and not an actual event.
So who is the Culprit? The do nothing opportunists who promised free trade would create new Service jobs, cheaper goods and a safer, human-rights observing, good  neighbor China or the Outsider who swore to correct the destruction; kick the foreign opportunists and their investors to the curb and to make amends to our destroyed manufacturing base?

The 1994 "free trade" sham, touted by the DNC and opportunistic Republicans led by George HW Bush, either knowingly or ignorantly decimated the entire US manufacturing base by essentially encouraging American Companies to close plants here and open new ones in Mexico, Canada, China or to simply sub contract their product line to other foreign concerns.

As factories closed and companies moved offshore, the "free trade" America last opportunists promised Service jobs would fill the void.

As I said above, Trump's policy is sound; a Country that produces nothing is left indefensible and left vulnerable to the whims of foreigners even the enemy who can use pricing to coerce international policy.
The Market is not an indicator of anything more than the greed infused decisions of people reading the tea leaves. It has no moral compass, no national allegiance, no altruism, no conscience; just black and red.

The truth is, if Satan himself manifested in their midst in all of his mythical regalia; horns, cloven hooves, red skin and pitchfork, promising a huge return on an investment, The Market would act in an instant and the Media would congratulate their shrewd foresight.

If you want a read into the tumultuous next few days it is this; those who bet against the USA, investing in foreign concerns are reacting negatively to the audacity of Trump's insistence that America, American manufacturing, the American Worker and American Security should come first!

The Media is actually stumping against American Hegemony and telling half truths with zero historical context. Instead, they are telling people they will no longer be able to afford cheap Chinese Bobbles, Widgets, Mugs and possibly unsafe medications.

Yes, things will look dire for a bit and the media will make certain to remind you day after day.

This is very short list of tariffs placed on our exported goods BEFORE Trump's retaliatory, lower tariffs went into effect. If you will notice, the foreign Tariffs include Currency Manipulation and Quotas placed against our Exports, expressed as their de facto Tariff value. In most instances those manipulations and quotas can have a much more detrimental effect on us and are done in an attempt to mask those governments' attempts to excise taxable gains and to make our products less inviting to purchase.