America's financial woes

[Pugwash]

Sir - everybody including America imposes tariffs on goods imported from other countries.

Precisely. There is no such thing as a free market. Never has been, never will be.

Oh, and sometimes, the US chooses to subsidise its own agriculture just to make it cheaper than imports. That's a double-stealth tax.

[HauteHippie]

Sir - everybody including America imposes tariffs on goods imported from other countries.

America doesn't have a whole lot of tariffs. We do have subsidies that are very comparable to Europe, for example though. But in recent years it has been much easier to import than export from everything I've seen.

[manuel]

It is the average of all of your "Ratings" received and represented by the corresponding Symbol. In your case, "Zing"

Thanks for the clarification, now I just need to know what ziing means. I have been thinking about this world and it is nonsense unless you play the sound in your head, then it becomes some noisy and bothering sound...Oh! then my posts bother people and sound like noisy and distorted..

Now talking bout the cheap dollah I have just bought a gen dial with hands in ebay for the dime of some hundreds dollars...

[Victoria]

Thanks for the clarification, now I just need to know what ziing means. I have been thinking about this world and it is nonsense unless you play the sound in your head, then it becomes some noisy and bothering sound...Oh! then my posts bother people and sound like noisy and distorted..

Heh. Zing COULD be construed as an onomatopeia, but it's not -- that's like "splash", the sound which comes from the act of entering the water (in English).

A zing is a combination of un piropo, un chiste y and the act of being very listo con respuestas. I think it was Sssurfer that said that he never heard any quote from Oscar Wilde, que no era un zing. Thus, the rating of "zing" can be seen as you considering the person's post that way. Hope that others agree, and that it clarified it for you.

[HauteHippie]

Thanks for the clarification, now I just need to know what ziing means. I have been thinking about this world and it is nonsense unless you play the sound in your head, then it becomes some noisy and bothering sound...Oh! then my posts bother people and sound like noisy and distorted..

Now talking bout the cheap dollah I have just bought a gen dial with hands in ebay for the dime of some hundreds dollars...

HAHA so you zinged me without knowing what you were doing!?!?

[Raijor]

America doesn't have a whole lot of tariffs. We do have subsidies that are very comparable to Europe, for example though. But in recent years it has been much easier to import than export from everything I've seen.

Sir - America imposes tariffs on goods not manufactured in the US that are imported into the US, excepting goods manufactured in NAFTA countries (Canada and Mexico). This is not an insignificant amount of tariffs. This is why Mercedes, Toyota and Honda have manufacturing plants in the US. Cars not made in the US are heavily tariffed to protect US jobs and shareholders. America has done very well because of its protectionist policies and high dollar while complaining about the rest of the world's protectionist policies. I do not accept your thesis that "America doesn't have a whole lot of tariffs."

'

[cornerstone]

Tariffs are counter-productive - and heaven knows its over 200 years since the Wealth of Nations was published.

Where it all goes pear-shaped is with special interests and politicians appeasing them - tariffs and subsidies usually look after one part of the economy at the expense of another.

An example was the increase in the US tariff on steel imports thereby protecting (in global terms) inefficient domestic steel production at the expense of more efficient domestic manufacturing, which became less internationally competitive with higher input steel costs than overseas competitors. And if you (used to) work in a ship yard or a car plant, that's a big frickin' deal.

I have no idea what it is about farmers that they seem to get the red carpet subsidy treatment worldwide.

[HauteHippie]

Sir - America imposes tariffs on goods not manufactured in the US that are imported into the US, excepting goods manufactured in NAFTA countries (Canada and Mexico). This is not an insignificant amount of tariffs. This is why Mercedes, Toyota and Honda have manufacturing plants in the US. Cars not made in the US are heavily tariffed to protect US jobs and shareholders. America has done very well because of its protectionist policies and high dollar while complaining about the rest of the world's protectionist policies. I do not accept your thesis that "America doesn't have a whole lot of tariffs."

So, how do we get stuff so cheap from Asia? I didn't say the US had NO tariffs. I don't think we have a whole lot of them, though.... Steel, sugar, automobiles.

[Raijor]

Tariffs are counter-productive - and heaven knows its over 200 years since the Wealth of Nations was published.

Where it all goes pear-shaped is with special interests and politicians appeasing them - tariffs and subsidies usually look after one part of the economy at the expense of another.

An example was the increase in the US tariff on steel imports thereby protecting (in global terms) inefficient domestic steel production at the expense of more efficient domestic manufacturing, which became less internationally competitive with higher input steel costs than overseas competitors. And if you (used to) work in a ship yard or a car plant, that's a big frickin' deal.

I have no idea what it is about farmers that they seem to get the red carpet subsidy treatment worldwide.

Got to agree with you. I come from a long line of farmers on both my parents sides and grew up on a farm. Still have the homestead and rent out the land. No poor farmers in our family. Every body has gone big and tech and always some kind of program available. Hard physical work though. I prefer the kind of farm I grew up on. The basic mixed family farm. Never needed the biggest or the best equipment but still earned a good living with low to no debt and paying off things when ever we could.

[Raijor]

So, how do we get stuff so cheap from Asia? I didn't say the US had NO tariffs. I don't think we have a whole lot of them, though.... Steel, sugar, automobiles.

Everybody gets stuff from Asia cheap. It costs pennies to produce items in China that would cost dollars to make in America. Of course no guaranties products will be safe. I will agree to disagree with you on this discussion and end my posting cordially. Cheers

[HauteHippie]

Everybody gets stuff from Asia cheap. It costs pennies to produce items in China that would cost dollars to make in America. Of course no guaranties products will be safe. I will agree to disagree with you on this discussion and end my posting cordially. Cheers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariff_in_Ame...980s_to_present

The wiki people say we have a 'low tariff policy' for whatever that's worth.

Take care.

[manuel]

Heh. Zing COULD be construed as an onomatopeia, but it's not -- that's like "splash", the sound which comes from the act of entering the water (in English).

A zing is a combination of un piropo, un chiste y and the act of being very listo con respuestas. I think it was Sssurfer that said that he never heard any quote from Oscar Wilde, que no era un zing. Thus, the rating of "zing" can be seen as you considering the person's post that way. Hope that others agree, and that it clarified it for you.

gracias Victoria. You are very kind.

And yes chieftang i did zing to some of you without knowing what was it...Being only very few members with "zing" makes us feel very alone....I was curious to see if your avatar was about to be changed

Edited February 14, 2008 by manuel