Politics

[TTundra]

If that qualifies as being tough on China, then Biden is the toughest. He has kept most of Trump’s tariffs in place and added a whole lot more, specifically targeting sectors that they would need to outpace us economically or militarily.

Trump removed China from being listed as a currency manipulator in order to secure a trade deal that China never fulfilled. He has repeatedly heaped praise on Xi Jinping, threatened our strategic alliances with Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. He has also waffled on whether he would provide any assistance to Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack.

China (along with Russia, Iran, and the rest of our enemies) want nothing more than for America to withdraw from our position as the leader of the free world, and Trump has made clear that it is his intention to do so.

Biden kept Trump era tariff policies. Some have been modified, but the additional section duties were imposed under the Trump administration. Biden of course would not walk away from the Billions it generates.

I think the currency manipulator status you are referring to was one that was given to China by the Trump administration and then rescinded when the US and China finally struck a trade deal. In essence, Trump's hard policies with China worked.

I respectfully disagree with your assertion and believe we have seen an incredibly weak response to China's aggression in the Pacific from thie Biden Administration.

Moreover, the Russian aggression under Biden as well as the reversal of Iran policy this administration put in place early on has probably attributed to current issues with both.

 

[CoElkHunter]

"I would much rather return to the policies of Trump over Biden."

Respectfully, this has been one of my issues all along: circumstances are not the same as they were, and he is not the same person. I don't think we can return to how it was. I believe that ship has sailed.

I believe Trump IS the same obnoxious, arrogant, narcissistic person he was when he got elected in 2016. Brandon IS the same incompetent, lying, useless 45+ year corrupt lifelong and now braindead politician he was when he got elected in 2020. I personally preferred most of Trump's POLICIES as President and have preferred almost NONE of Brandon's POLICIES as President. Everyone must choose to vote how they feel will affect their families social and economic future. I don't know the answer going forward? I wish neither Trump or Brandon were running.

 

[Saul]

Biden kept Trump era tariff policies. Some have been modified, but the additional section duties were imposed under the Trump administration. Biden of course would not walk away from the Billions it generates.

I think the currency manipulator status you are referring to was one that was given to China by the Trump administration and then rescinded when the US and China finally struck a trade deal. In essence, Trump's hard policies with China worked.

I respectfully disagree with your assertion and believe we have seen an incredibly weak response to China's aggression in the Pacific from thie Biden Administration.

Biden’s export controls on semiconductors and other advanced technologies has significantly hampered China.

Yes, Trump labeled China a currency manipulator and then rescinded it once they signed a trade deal that they did not fulfill. Therefore, it was all for show. Still, I would like to see Biden bring it back.

With regard to the Pacific, I partially agree. Biden has pushed for some of the largest weapons sales to Taiwan in history, but I have been dissapointed by his failure to support the Philippines or keep Australia from cozying up to China once again.

 

[TTundra]

Biden’s export controls on semiconductors and other advanced technologies has significantly hampered China.

Yes, Trump labeled China a currency manipulator and then rescinded it once they signed a trade deal that they did not fulfill. Therefore, it was all for show. Still, I would like to see Biden bring it back.

With regard to the Pacific, I partially agree. Biden has pushed for some of the largest weapons sales to Taiwan in history, but I have been dissapointed by his failure to support the Philippines or keep Australia from cozying up to China once again.

Bidens policies on semi conductors is a ban on sales to China it is trying to enforce. It in effect has forced its strategy with Taiwan to hasten. China only has to starve Taiwan enough of raw materials to accomplish this, which it is doing. This has very little impact as China is still importing them.

As for the deal, it seems the administration that took over in 2021 did not press to keep that agreement in place. Again, in essence Biden's light on China policy did not keep in place what had been worked on. However, the Trump tariffs remain, thankfully.

Biden needs to work with China as Trump did as they are and will always be a strategic resource for raw materials and manufacturing. Even with the Indian advance in software manufacturing, the US will be dependent on Chinese made goods for years to come.
Most raw materials for goods coming from the sub countries are imported from China.

 

[Saul]

Bidens policies on semi conductors is a ban on sales to China it is trying to enforce. It in effect has forced its strategy with Taiwan to hasten. China only has to starve Taiwan enough of raw materials to accomplish this, which it is doing. This has very little impact as China is still importing them.

As for the deal, it seems the administration that took over in 2021 did not press to keep that agreement in place. Again, in essence Biden's light on China policy did not keep in place what had been worked on. However, the Trump tariffs remain, thankfully.

Biden needs to work with China as Trump did as they are and will always be a strategic resource for raw materials and manufacturing. Even with the Indian advance in software manufacturing, the US will be dependent on Chinese made goods for years to come.
Most raw materials for goods coming from the sub countries are imported from China.

That has not been my read of the situation, but I will look into it more and revise my assessment accordingly.

 

[TTundra]

That has not been my read of the situation, but I will look into it more and revise my assessment accordingly.

I purchase quite a bit from Taiwan. Raw costs from China have risen to my Taiwanese facilities to between 20-40%. Thus causing me to resource. A long, but methodical economic warfare tactic by China. Forcing Taiwanese owners to sell, relocate, etc. Possibly also why the US has begun moving of strategic manufacturing back to the US from Taiwan. Anticipation?

That said, I subscribe to thinkers much more intelligent than I. Ben Shapiro is one whom I value his insights on. He more eloquently lists out policy successes and failures to both Trump and Biden. I will leave it at that. This thread becomes too commanding of time.

Goodnight all.

 

[freefall]

To once again (probably mis-)quote Bill O'Reilly, "All of these things you say you're afraid Trump MIGHT do, Biden IS doing. Whatever you think of they guy he actually managed to govern pretty competently for 4 years. And you're willing to go with another 4 years of Biden because you personally dislike Donald Trump? You're a moron!"

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I believe Trump IS the same obnoxious, arrogant, narcissistic person he was when he got elected in 2016. Brandon IS the same incompetent, lying, useless 45+ year corrupt lifelong and now braindead politician he was when he got elected in 2020. I personally preferred most of Trump's POLICIES as President and have preferred almost NONE of Brandon's POLICIES as President. Everyone must choose to vote how they feel will affect their families social and economic future. I don't know the answer going forward? I wish neither Trump or Brandon were running.

I think at his core you are correct: he is the same person. I think his enablers have made him outwardly worse.

I do not believe - my opinion, so I admit I could be wrong - he has any chance of duplicating the good that was accomplished during his first term. That combination means he will not have my vote, nor will Biden.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I just wanted to reiterate again that I really appreciate this "politics" thread here on AH. I know some members don't like it and think we should just stick with hunting related threads. But it's sort of an International "pub" so to speak, where members can voice their opinions and state their beliefs/facts as they know them, about politics/history for/from countries around the World. I personally don't have many in my family/circle of friends that give a rat's ass about politics or history. Most seem to be living for the moment and only think about themselves and things in real time. I've tried to explain to them that history tends to repeat itself and it would be wise to know what happened in the past so we don't repeat the bad stuff. Sadly, it's mostly been a fool's errand. So, I appreciate the AH politics thread.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Ditto @CoElkHunter ... I am smart enough to know I'm not all that smart - or knowledgeable anyways - about a great many things. Many on this site have experiences and knowledge that I lack, and they are willing to share... and for that I am grateful.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I think at his core you are correct: he is the same person. I think his enablers have made him outwardly worse.

I do not believe - my opinion, so I admit I could be wrong - he has any chance of duplicating the good that was accomplished during his first term. That combination means he will not have my vote, nor will Biden.

You may be right on all accounts. I don't know? We shouldn't have to be here anyway deciding between these two. But here we are. I guess that's why they say Democracy is a messy business?

 

[CoElkHunter]

Ditto @CoElkHunter ... I am smart enough to know I'm not all that smart - or knowledgeable anyways - about a great many things. Many on this site have experiences and knowledge that I lack, and they are willing to share... and for that I am grateful.

Oh, I know exceedingly more about what I don't know than I'll ever know about what I actually do know. I rely on MANY others to pull me through.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Ditto @CoElkHunter ... I am smart enough to know I'm not all that smart - or knowledgeable anyways - about a great many things. Many on this site have experiences and knowledge that I lack, and they are willing to share... and for that I am grateful.

+1.

 

[Tanks]

...

To add to this, very little if any costing was passed along to the end consumer. China manipulated their FX and VAT to absorb much of the increase and sourcing operations located competitive pricing and manufacturing elsewhere. It was and has been a heavy impact to Chinese manufacturing.

Not quite. As mentioned, before I am paying a 10% tariff on quite a bit of electronic goods coming from China produced for a German company (they have factories over there), and I pass that along to my clients along with our markup and they in turn mark it up as well and eventually the customer pays something close to a 20% Trump tax on it. It is still in effect through the Biden administration. It is not a big deal for me or my clients as it is a cost that is passed to the end user which pays for it.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Not quite. As mentioned, before I am paying a 10% tariff on quite a bit of electronic goods coming from China produced for a German company (they have factories over there), and I pass that along to my clients along with our markup and they in turn mark it up as well and eventually the customer pays something close to a 20% Trump tax on it. It is still in effect through the Biden administration. It is not a big deal for me or my clients as it is a cost that is passed to the end user which pays for it.

I think the US, EU and other countries tariff many Chinese made products because the Communist Chinese Government is subsidizing the manufacturing of those products for export and/or are not allowing or hampering equivalent import volume/value of products into their country. Chinese steel manufacturing is subsidized at some 80% by the CCP. I'm sure aluminum is not far behind. Don't know about electronics but I'll bet Huawei phones are heavily subsidized. Can you imagine the US subsidizing even 50% of Apple phones for export? Other countries with private companies can't compete with that. Thus, tariffs are imposed on many imported Chinese products worldwide.
Nevermind about Apple phones. I just realized they're made in China. LOL

 

[TTundra]

Not quite. As mentioned, before I am paying a 10% tariff on quite a bit of electronic goods coming from China produced for a German company (they have factories over there), and I pass that along to my clients along with our markup and they in turn mark it up as well and eventually the customer pays something close to a 20% Trump tax on it. It is still in effect through the Biden administration. It is not a big deal for me or my clients as it is a cost that is passed to the end user which pays for it.

I would argue that your customers are making enough profit margin to where it is inconsequential or 10% has no impact on their bottom line. Possibly government contracts?
The FX over the years swings more than 10% routinely. Any purchaser negotiates based on FX beyond a contract agreed variance. If one isn't negotiating that pricing down when China raises it (like we are seeing now) they need to.

One item I am running now was last purchased in 2022 at USD1-CNY6.4. We are now at USD1-CNY7.20. Over 10% decrease on costing on FX alone.

One of my companies specifically focuses on sourcing efficiencies and we find a lot left on the table routinely. If a fixed 10% has been passed along since these enactments there is much savings to be had in addition profit or more competitive costing for your customer.

 

[PARA45]

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
― Benjamin Franklin

 

[Brent in Az]

 

[Tbitty]

I'm so sick of the way politics works in today's America. It's all drama and attack ads. None of the candidates tell you what they plan to do, it's just generic "elect me and I'll fix it" bullshit, mixed with "that person will destroy (insert point here), so vote for me instead" and throw in a popularity contest to say you voted D or R and did your part.
You have to be backed by mega donors to run.
You have to be D or R to have a chance.
You cannot be an average Joe, who would ACTUALLY be able to represent the people.

And it leaves us with the mess we are in - POTUS choice is between an incompetent imbecile who's spent his whole life selling his allegiance to the highest bidder, and in the process flip-floped or flat lied about nearly everything he's ever touched, or a narcissistic bully who uses his wealth to get where he is, and then berates anyone who doesn't agree 200% with him, and acts like a brat child when he does not get his way.

Another big problem we face is the "what if" Trump doesn't get elected in 24? Will he continue his tirade and put us back in a similar predicament in 28? Newsom vs Trump 28 would be my prediction because the R's can't get their house in order. Or, perhaps just as bad, Trump runs as independent and takes his cult following votes with him.

Given our current situation, to me it's clear that Trump winning 24 is our best case scenario. It dumps the garbage currently in the W.H., eliminates Trump from ever being considered again, and (of our choices) is the better option for me, my family, the majority of my beliefs, and America. He's far from the ideal candidate, but we don't get another option now unless one of these two kick the bucket or somehow drop out before November, so I'm most certainly going to do my part and vote for the one I feel is the better choice for me and America.

 

[Tbitty]

In other news, did anyone hear of the guy in Texas who changed his legal name to "Litterally Anyone Else" and Mr. Else is trying to get on the ballot as an independent.