So, you propose that Germany doesn't know what's best for them, France doesn't know what's best for them, UK doesn't know what's best for them, ...?? Really? Trump the monumentally incompetent, the guy who can't take advice from his own staff including our US DoD, knows better that all these nations as to what is better for each and every one of them? And, THAT is your excuse for ignoring them when it comes to issues that are so absolutely THEIRS?
Uh, yeah. That is why people elected Trump in the first place. They see that you are correct and that there "always has been a huge trade deficit". This is fact, there is no arguing it The question is, "Is the US being treated unfairly and should we do something about it" Americans thought about it and agreed with Trump, he is now following through on the will of those that voted for him. We will see what happens. I have to admit though, the more I see Europeans and Canadians freak out about this the more I think Trump may be right. If people really thought they were going to hurt the US and help their own nations more, they would not be throwing such a temper tantrum. Seems kinda like the SJW's who are dying fast and complaining that "People just don't understand!" or that "They are racist because they disagree with me!" Bottom line is this, Americans feel they are being taken advantage of and wanted a change in our one side trade policies that cause the deficit you listed. Will it be good for America? I have seen arguments that make sense on both sides, guess we will have to see As to Germany and the US military there, that is a no brainer. Germany has been talking so much crap about how the US is "evil" or whatever else, why in the world would we continue to protect them for free? What is even funnier, is that people HATE the US military but now are super angry that we would do what they want. It's like the "separating children" thing, Trump called out Leftists with his executive order and they STILL wouldn't take the deal. Just shows the hypocrisy and the long running BS of Leftists.
LOL!!! No, the deplorables followed Trump like flies follow a horse's butt. Wow. You really have Trump quotes down pat!
Exactly. Germany gets to say what goes on in Germany. Talking to Germany (as well as every other country on earth) is important for any first world nation.
With what? They aren't replacing their population, are they going to storm us in walkers? Have you seen the state of the German military? In his annual report, the armed forces commissioner of Germany’s parliament found that only a fraction of crucial weapons systems was operational. “At the end of the year six out of six submarines were not in use. At times, not one of the 14 Airbus A-400M [transport aircraft] could fly,” Hans-Peter Bartels told a press conference in Berlin on Tuesday. https://www.ft.com/content/23c524f6-1642-11e8-9376-4a6390addb44 And this sad state of affairs runs through every category and weapons system. They don't have the equipment or materials and they don't have the recruits. They are essentially landlocked, Any naval forces have to come through the British Isles, we plant our carriers between Iceland and Greenland and between Iceland and Great Britain and we have corked the bottle. They don't have a SINGLE working sub in the entire German Military. They don't have a single operational transport aircraft. We have a mutual defense treaty with them, spend billions to safeguard their country from external attack, and yet, they don't have a damn thing to help us if we need them. I think Trump is considering pulling our troops out, unless they and their neighbors want to carry the costs of keeping them there. Damn sure we aren't going to let them rip us off on trade while we carry their defense costs, it's retarded that we have done that for this long.
No, I don't see that as the question at all. We know that there are unfair practices going on. That problem requires collective engagement. We're not going to solve this by going it alone and attempting to use bullying tactics. By backing away from a Pacific trade pact, we left the Pacific open to the many others who join to magnify their influence. Now, we're attacking Canada, Mexico, Europe, China, and pretty much everyone else - showing little differentiation between allies and problem nations. Why does anyone think that makes sense? Trump tried to buy off Carrier and they left. Trump tried to make Ford an example and they moved major operations out of the US. Trump is now yelling at Harley Davidson. Trump trade moves have been childish. We need real trade policy. And, that IS multinational.
Nobody should like it when Trump talks. Why should Europe like anything Trump has said about ANY topic?
We're far more willing to go to war than any European country and we spend money on weapons like drunks in a casino. So, I'm pretty sure most Europeans don't see it as some sort of high priority to increase their contributions to NATO forces. As for trade, it's the same old problem - Trump simply can not negotiate his way out of a wet paper bag. And, it appears his only tool is bullying.
See, this is what I am talking about and this is why Leftists (far different than Liberals) are losing so badly everywhere you look. Do you not see it? Your first comment was an angry "trigger" to the fact that I said "Americans voted for Trump." You literally jumped all over that and attacked the idea that is "The Deplorable Trump Voter" even though I didn't even vote for the idiot. You guys are so anxious to attack anyone who disagrees with you, taht you have attacked too many people to stay viable. As to your second comment, I am not talking about Trump, that is obviously your problem as it looks like you want to add Trump to any situation. Trump is merely a product, he is not the cause of all this feeling. You said yourself, as a fact, the US has a trade deficit. I said, the people feel this is unfair and we need to do something to change it, then you went off on some personal attack and tangent against me, even adding Trump to the mix for good measure. Do you really not see how crazy that looks? You aren't talking to or debating me, you are attacking a straw man and looking to me to defend it. I don't care about you over sensationalized drama and absolute hatred of anything Trump. I see a large trade deficit that the US is the loser on, I own a factory in Malaysia and sell to 18 other nations around the world. I know the imbalances we see vs other countries, I deal with it weekly. Is that something that laws like Trump is proposing can fix? Or is it just part of "being on top" that we have to get used to. As I implied above, I dunno. But we have had the same policies for decades and the same imbalance for decades as well. The people are pissed and want a change, Trump offered it and they voted yes. We will see what happens. This was a rational answer to those reading this post, instead of the SJW FREAK OUT that you saw above, the idea here is to understand political climate and that ideas differ from one person to the next. The overall "idea" in America is that we are on the short end of the stick and something needs to be done. I am kinda in the middle, we get taken advantage of all over the world, but is that just because of being #1? I dunno, guess we will see" But the over reaction from posters like above is exactly why Democrats are getting wasted all over the country. I look forward to rational thinking liberals to debate rational conservatives. The Trump mania is accelerating this because Leftists (not to be confused with Liberals) are acting like kids and making themselves irrelevant. As to you Kode, feel free to use whatever personal attack you have left in your book. I don't care and it simply proves my point.
I am sorry, but those are all your opinions. There are plenty of economists that agree with Trump. The fact that you are trying to paint that idea as "You are an idiot if you think this way!" is the exact kind of silencing tactics that is destroying the SJW/Leftist ideology. No one wants to hear these attacks, make your point and PROVE it is better. We're not "attacking" anyone, if that were the idea then other countries have been "attacking" us for a long time. The idea is, what will help make a more fair trade environment for the US, since Americans feel they are being taken advantage of. You trying to attack those that agree with them by calling them "childish", then spouting out random one sided arguments about cherry picked companies means absolutely nothing. Just like the lies that Trump told on the campaign trail about hor important these companies are, these ones looks sound and are the exact same thing. The real numbers like food exports and auto imports all lean HEAVILY against America. Is he right that a shake up needs to be had and we will see where everything lies? Dunno. But you attacking anyone who disagrees with you does nothing but make your position look weak. The attacks of the last 10 years won't work anymore, they just look incredibly immature and that you are unable to communicate your position. This is the childish politics that people are tired of hearing. Leftist attacks simply don't work.
On tariffs? Name ONE. Americans being taken advantage IS trump bullshit. I don't believe it at all. Food exports?? With our farming subsides? Duh! Auto imports? Are we competitive globally without foreign tariffs? I'm no economist but when I look around my community I don't see decline. What I DO know, however, is that a full blown trade war won't be good for our country. That it might be worse for our (now) enemies, like Canada, is little consolation.
For the most part, the reason we buy more stuff from other nations is that we have more wealth and we like what they produce. The advantage we once had in manufacturing has decreased substantially. Other nations can make far more goods just as well as we can. Other nations can grow crops we can't grow - either due to climate or available labor. AND, this administration is using fake numbers to measure trade. The lies Trump has told about Canada are absolutely bald faced. Plus, they discount the service sector - for which there is no justification. What sort of "shake up" does THAT call for? How about we start telling the truth? How about we start working WITH our allies toward fairer practices on intellectual property? We're not going to change China by trying to be the bigger bully. We're not even a bigger bully. How about we recognize that international competitiveness is going to require us to move more toward high tech, information, automation, clean energy, etc.? We can't afford to blow off these whole sectors while we worry about Carrier or historic American motorcycles. Face it. Having a trade war with our allies is about as STUPID as we could possibly get.
What's that got to do with it? Seems like a knee-jerk reaction since I didn't say you were a Trump voter.
They don't. That's why the mutual defense treaty is a joke. Much of Europe won't even strengthen their bridges so we can move the equipment necessary to defend them. We are obligated to defend Montenegro from attack by a nuclear power by getting in a nuclear exchange, if necessary to defend them against the largest nuclear arsenal on face of the earth. And if we get attacked? What exactly is Montenegro going to assist us in our defense? Which is why we are trying a different approach, Silly!
They need to run a surplus with us, its how their economies survive. They will have to run a smaller one, preferably by opening their markets further to our goods, but, if they don't want to go that route, we will narrow their access to ours. PDT Talks Taxes, Trade, Tariffs and ICE with Money-Honey Bartiromo
You don't seem to understand that there is no West Germany since East and West Germany became Germany. Trump probably locates troops where there are more bars.
Trade war is totally stupid, Silly! It breaks down the major non-military power of strong economic allies. It's the US using the tools of economic war AGAINST European and other allies! Besides, what's this nonsense about Trump's friends attacking us? Are you telling me that close relationship has so little meaning that Putin is about to start taking eastern European countries?
We're just insisting that they open their markets to us to the same extent that we have opened our markets to them, but, if they don't want that, then we will simply close our markets to their goods, to the extent that they have closed their markets to ours. If their protecting their markets from us, isn't attacking us, then our protecting our markets from them, isn't attacking them, Silly!
I don't know who you mean bye "we", but ... The objectives of more open trade and ownership of intellectual property are good objectives. But, Trump is dumping our allies, leaving us to go one on one with each nation in the world. And, that isn't going to get us there. Let's remember that we ARE economically strong, but we're only 5% of the world. Throwing away our allies like the morning coffee grounds is a monumental act of disarmament. It's a call to the world to unite in defense against America. And, they ARE moving in that direction. Leaving the Pacific trade pact didn't mean there is no pact. It just means that there is a pact without us and that we have less clout with China as a result. And, that is stupid - it does NOT move toward YOUR stated objectives.
The US, Silly! He ending their free-loading on NATO and trade. If that means they don't want to be our "allies" if they can't free-load off of us, well, good riddance. Why not? We trade one on one and our trade balance is measured nation by nation.
Trade agreements are the place where a wide range of issues gets worked on. That's where we come up with rules on labor, so we don't just get creamed by cheap labor working in horrible conditions in other lands. That's where we work on intellectual property rights, copyrights, patents, etc. The list goes on. We're not going to move China one on one like we could move China if we had a couple other continents behind us. In fact, we have a stake in the deals OTHER countries make with China (as an example country). If others don't do well in their negotiations, then we can lose our intellectual property, our labor value, etc., because of trade with China that just passes through these other countries. We have a stake in world trade. Being there as no more than an individual is just plain worse than being there with a team of allies insisting on real change by all players.
