166 Comments

The international order provides for nations to challenge other nations dumping products- if the US can prove overseas manufacturers are dumping EVs, then put the case to the WTO. To do otherwise and begin a tariff war is going to end in real war. The Biden administration has engaged in an industry policy that sees extraordinary subsidies granted to companies- how is that different to what China is doing. My appeal to the US is to embrace fair and free trade. Long term it will provide greater wealth for all.

Expand full comment

The embrace of protectionism by the world’s wealthiest nation is puzzling. Unfortunately the Biden administration is conceding to MAGA the moral high ground. What next, an embrace of nativism, isolationism? What’s extraordinary is how the announcement of a massive tax on Chinese EVs undermines all the environmental credentials the Dems were trying to sell.

Expand full comment

One simple observation for today's thread: 5% of polled voters feel that democracy is an important consideration for November's election? Could this suggest that the "remaining" 95% feels either: 1) our democracy is so all powerful that no threat can really exist or 2) it doesn't matter if there is a looming danger- because we're not all that down with democracy, anyway? Which is it? I think mostly the first. Because we have taken too much for granted for much too long. However, it's got to be true that some menacingly large block is pushing their chips towards #2. Anyone agree?

Expand full comment

The MAGA crowd has learned to actively dislike democracy and the normies just assume that democracy is a given.

Expand full comment

I see the Biden tariffs as an attempt to keep a manufacturing base in the US as well as protecting US chip fabs. As far as electric cars, seems that the BYD's of China can set up manufacturing in the US, just as Japan and Korea did, to avoid 100% tariffs. Wonder what CCP will think about that.

Expand full comment

Why is it that alleged Christians like Pence and Johnson, who incessantly surround themselves with a shekinah cloud of biblical grandiosity feel that they should be on the spiritual All Star team after going 1 for 100 at the plate?( i.e. voting for Ukraine aid after six months of death and destruction there). Oh, did I mention that they're staunchly pro life?

Expand full comment

"shekinah cloud of biblical grandiosity." What a lovely turn of phrase.

Expand full comment

Thanks Terry. Please try my substack "A Spacious Place" at substack.scottcleveland.com

Expand full comment

The 100% tariff on Chinese EVs is because the incompetent boobs who run Detroit - just like their predecessors who lost the "quality war" to Japanese cars 40 years ago - are terrified of Chinese EVs (they should be!), which American auto journalists who attended the recent Bejing Car Show and got to drive them report are better-performing - longer range, better interiors, better responses - than either US or European "remakes" of gas-powered cars into EVs. Additionally, they're cheap enough that the 80% of American families who can't qualify for an over-priced "cheap" American EV would be able to own one and afford to operate it. Tesla is losing its lunch money in China because Elmo's tinny toys are a 20-year old technology and are outperformed by Chinese EVs.

The fat cat complacency of American capitalists needs tariffs so they can remain complacent.

Expand full comment

Yes, and China completely subsidizing the EV makers (and putting up road blocks for foreign competition - and stealing their IP) is all made up and it's only because US/EU automakers are complete morons.

Expand full comment

Continue believing the Compleat Bullshit. It's the way Americans keep themselves the stupidest national group on the planet.

Expand full comment

"completely subsidizing"

The Bidne administration is subsidizing US EV production with over 12 billion in loans. A subsidy is a subsidy, is it not. It's what governments do to support and promote home grown manufacturing capacity.

Expand full comment

Thanks for discussing tariffs today! I know it's not everyone's jam, but I find the economic policies so much more interesting than speeches and polls and what people say they're going to do as opposed to what's actually being decided as law.

I have been a little ticked off at the Biden policy to keep Trump's tariffs in place. However, it looks like Biden has removed more tariffs than I realized. The EU is a good example of a trade organization who slaps tariffs on us, so it looks like some tariffs are for negotiations with them. We'll take ours off if you take yours off. It looks like tariffs to Canada and South Korea have been mostly rescinded. China is of course the sticky wicket.

https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/tariffs-trump-trade-war/

I agree that how Trump treated China didn't work or influence them at all. Unfortunately I could say the same for Bush and Obama, and now Biden. I don't know, man, I suspect that as long as they have all our manufacturing, they have no reason to listen.

Expand full comment
May 15Edited

From I have seen, inflation will shoot up to unprecedented level under Trump 2.0. First, he will raise tariffs. Second, both legal and illegal immigration will go way down, thus driving down labor supply but forcing wages to go up. Third, he will appoint a yes man to head the Fed who will be cutting rates irresponsibly, heating up the economy with no clear goal. Finally, with weaponized federal agencies, many corporations will be punished because they are not greasing the palms or sucking up to him, causing a massive shift in how companies may “succeed”. Instead of innovation, bribery will be the way forward. It pains me incessantly that many rich business people fail to recognize how dangerous it will be.

Expand full comment

I think I have identified the thinking of the business community: They'll all be dead soon and this will be a problem for Millennials, and they're kind of icky with their dyed hair and tattoos.

Expand full comment

These are certainly selfish SOB’s.

Expand full comment

In regard to tariffs, Biden needs to re-phrase and explain that tariffs are manufactured inflation.

Another aspect of today’s inflation is price gouging which accounts for about 60% of today’s inflation, due to years of industry deregulation, which allows corporations to consolidate and control large segments of their industries. Today, in almost every industry, four to five companies control 70-80% of the market.

Remember when we had the baby formula shortage because of contamination at one of the largest manufacturing plants? Two companies controlled 90% of the market, creating shortages which led to high prices.

Additionally, Presidents have little control over supply and demand, which affects prices and inflation, but presidents do control tariffs. And ultimately, it is inflation that cause the federal reserve to raise interest rates (Fed Funds Rate).

Expand full comment

I love Liz Cheney’s comment. Johnson has proven that he is “losing his religion” by his unabashed support of Trump. Sorry to see “Moses” fail!

Expand full comment

Nah, he's just doing the usual MAGA dance of "Rules for thee and not for me." Family values is for YOU not HIM. He can do whatever he likes and you still have to pretend he's a Christian. But if I said something in support of Ms. Daniels, you can bet he wouldn't hesitate to bury me and my morals and values as inferior to his.

Expand full comment

I have no energy to respond to Trump’s trials and tribulations, nor Gaza and Ukraine.; my brain is fried…:)

That said, in reading the cheap shots, I find it ironic that Johnson has no problem defending the Porn King of NY, when many of the Confederate States of America, including Louisiana, are banning online pornography altogether.

Just saying…:)

Expand full comment

But you know, Trump wasn't making or consuming porn. He was just doing a porn star. Not the same. And besides, Trump did it, so it has to be ok.

Expand full comment

And Trump was stupid. Instead of being an egotistical sleeze, he could have taken her to dinner and maybe a show, and she probably would have been much more receptive to his advances and probably wouldn't have asked for hush money.

Expand full comment

True, and I was just an observation about a guy who thinks the earth is 6k years old and dinosaurs roamed the earth with man. He’s so religious, he only believes in laws that are clearly stated in the Bible.

Yet, this is the man who is second in line for the presidency, and doesn’t believe any of Trump’s crimes are an affront to his religious doctrine. Yet abortion and the LGBTQ community are apparently sins against god. Go figure…:)

Expand full comment

Totally agree. Madness. So either Johnson's religious devotion isn't as he claims, or he's weak. Perhaps both.

Expand full comment

I'm sorry but the image of Trump having sex just grosses me out and after this trial I can't not see what I have imagined.

Expand full comment

Sorry, I imagine there are many of us with too-vivid imaginations out here!

Expand full comment

How do you think poor Stormy felt?

Expand full comment

As you have stated regarding tariffs, "Voters are huge morons about them". While I disagree on Biden slapping tariffs on China, (there are other ways to combat China on these issues) they are a mere pittance compared to the across the board of 10 % tariffs Trump would implement on all trade. Trump tariffs are a tax on all Americans. Trump will claim the US used tariffs for decades.( As you stated; from 1820 to 1850's) However, he will leave out the 1820 to 1850's detail because in politics, if you are explaining, you're losing. As for all other issues, he'll keep it simplistic.And that comes naturally to him.

Expand full comment

I am getting to the point that I can say with confidence--- voters are huge morons about everything.

From 1789 to 1917 tariffs were the only source of income upon which the Federal Government could rely. Special taxes would occasionally be levied for wars and specific purposes. The costs passed onto consumers via tariffs was essentially their tax. In the current environment tariffs would be essentially (as you say) just another tax on the people. So much for the Republican Party being the party of tax cuts--- especially on the working and middle class.

Expand full comment

Press abortion to the wall. Then remind people that Trump thinks our military are "Suckers". Then bring up "Bleach". Don't leave out the coup and the fake electors. Remember when he said "we're not shipping Clerks" or "just a few people coming in from China. ( One million died here) . Then, hush money, tax evasion, classified documents, the real Mueller report, It will take at least a 30 second spot.

I'm sure I'm leaving things out. Abortion should be enough if it is presented right. Oh, I forgot! "Women should be punished"

Expand full comment

"It is tragic and shameful that so many fail to see it." The reasons so many fail to see it is: 1. They don't give a damn - and that's primarily MAGA politicians who put themselves over their oaths to the country. 2. The F*g media cares more about clickbait and money and not about the real concrete threat that the Orange Snake and his followers are.

Cheap Shots: FINALLY a worthy Cheap Shot!

Dear Bulwark, see if you can get Liz to do some articles. She at least knows what's really at stake in November.

Expand full comment

If these poll numbers are correct, (and why wouldn’t they be?) then a large percentage of American voters don’t care about what happens in Israel, to Ukraine, to even that under Trump’s “America First” economics inflation would rise with the tariffs and another tax cut for the rich. Also their wages would be cut, unions will be attacked, libraries will close, and women will be sent home to get pregnant and then have their lives monitored until they give birth — then they will be forgotten about. The laws against domestic violence will not be applied to gun owners.

BUT, none of that matters because in the Bible that Trump sold to his followers the only issues that Jesus talks about are abortion and homosexuality. The parts about love and caring are replaced by retribution and the unquestioned worship of Trump. (I wish I was being sarcastic).

Expand full comment

A long time ago, the great David Frum wrote that "Velociraptors have now figured out how to open the doors". (the difference between a first and second Trump term) This is a very condensed version of Mona's piece today.

Expand full comment

Thanks for the chuckle. And a great analogy.

Expand full comment

you're welcome!

Expand full comment

All we have to do is keep them out of the control building. No sweat.

Expand full comment

Easier said than done

Expand full comment