SadKangaroo wrote on Nov 10
th, 2024 at 1:19pm:
If Trump were to implement tariffs on all imports, it would increase the cost of imported goods, which could encourage people to buy domestically produced alternatives. However, whether there are viable local alternatives depends on the product and industry.
For some goods, especially agricultural products and basic manufactured items, local alternatives might be available or could be ramped up relatively quickly.
However, for more complex items like electronics, machinery, or specialized components, it would be challenging to find or establish equivalent local production in the short term. The U.S. has a significant manufacturing base, but certain industries rely heavily on global supply chains due to cost efficiencies, technological expertise, or raw material availability.
In the short to medium term, widespread tariffs will lead to higher prices and limited availability for certain products, as local producers would need time and investment to scale up or shift production.
The effectiveness of domestic substitutes would also depend on the ability of local industries to meet demand at a competitive quality and price.
Hence, if Trump doesn't FIRST fix the local manufacturing base, something that is deeply ideologically opposed by the Republican Party, champions of deregulation and "let the free market decide" in the short and medium term Americans will be forced to pay more for all the products they need either because all or part of them is produced overseas.
This is what you backed and what the people chose...
Only guessing but I suspect Trump is well aware there is going to be a gap in the timeline of increasing USA production enough to cover as many products as he would like and demand.
I suspect he hopes China will initially respond by having to lower prices into USA to cover. He is targeting them specifically more than any competitors. I suspect he hopes to achieve a 2 pronged attack on the China trade imbalance by reducing that imbalance and empowering to an extent, any China manufacturing competitors.
His idea of increasing USA manufacturing, is not in and of itself a bad idea. It requires a leader whom is prepared to enact long term supporting policies that may take more than one term to see the full desired gains in his specified area.
I doubt legacy media will even grasp that notion let alone promulgate it, but that is where the hysterical, radical, left misunderstand Trump. He genuinely thinks part of improving the USA economic position and citizen livelihood, includes broadening it's base to include more manufacturing.
I'm again guessing but I expect there will be an initial positive response to his policies from investment into the USA and already the markets seem to agree. That may be followed by a period of poorer performance as the "gap" between investment and actual production comes to the fore and China fight-back efforts have some effect. There followed by a period of better performance as some of the policies start to bare physical fruit.
I reckon Trump will accordingly see a 12 month honeymoon period, followed by a couple of tougher years, including an over-due market correction, before ending with a better performance towards the end of his term.
The legacy left wing media will focus on the tougher years of his term and Trump will focus on the "poo" in his opinion he was left by Biden/Hariss and the improving economic outlook towards the back end.
The media circus goes into the new election rhetoric media cycle and around we go.
That's my crystal ball guess. lol
I hope so, but Trump has historically been a lazy president. He's all about the signing ceremony and getting all the credit without actually following through, like the wall, his "fixing" the health system etc.
But I hope you're right.