To be clear, the current tariff execution is reckless and poorly planned. But I hear a lot of total tariff opposition from the same people who demand we continue to escalate with China over control of Taiwan, up to a potential hot war.

So what’s the plan? Western economies were brought to their knees during just a momentary interruption in shipping during the pandemic. How do you wage a war with a country that does all of your manufacturing? China could defeat most western countries without firing a single shot, just by cutting off their access to Chinese exports.

If you don’t support tariffs to bring back manufacturing jobs domestically, how do you think we could make it through a war with our manufacturing partners? I can’t reconcile the two ideas, and I don’t understand how some of y’all are.

  • RBWells@lemmy.world
    2·
    22 hours ago

    Where I live, they prop up companies with tax breaks, subsidies, sometimes will reimburse for wages even, to try to get businesses to establish and employ here.

    That “chips act” was a national version, right?

    We could also just do a lot more redistribution from the top, and try to advantage small businesses more. You can’t do everything from the top, a lot of a real economy has to grow from the ground, right? Nationalize healthcare so it’s not employer-based to encourage entrepreneurship.

    I’m sure there are many more actions that could be taken - there is a huge opportunity for improvement in our economy but most of it relates to breaking up the top and growth from the bottom.

    Tariffs are a tool, sure. But not the only one, and I’m not convinced they are tackling our main economic issues here, at all, certainly not as implemented. As one part of a more comprehensive progressive reform they might help but that’s not the way these guys roll.

    • surph_ninja@lemmy.worldOP
      15·
      22 hours ago

      That’s a lot of failed policies to avoid direct control and regulation of industries.

      And that chips act was also paired with a chipmaker’s visa to import indentured labor from Taiwan. So while it was intended to bring back manufacturing, it was never going to deliver on the empty promises of jobs.