Question for Thom Hartmann listeners... Can you answer this for me?

[hlthe2b]

I used to listen to him all the time, but it has been years at this point since I last heard a show.

So, here's my question about which I am quite curious:

Thom used to be a BIG proponent of tariffs and in some contexts, I could see his point. But now that Trump has all but gotten us in trade wars with China, with Europe, and soon with Mexico, I have to wonder what Thom has had to say about it. Anyone?

[wryter2000]

1. He's still very in favor of tariffs

He was expounding on that today. I think he's saying Trump's doing it wrong.

[lordsummerisle]

2. That's pretty much it

he favors tariffs, but feels that Trump is just throwing them against the wall and is seeing what sticks. He feels Trump should be working with Congress on this as the longer term approach would be more effective.

[watoos]

3. He said we should be working with our allies

To rein in China. He said it is a mistake to take China on unilaterally.

He also said that Trump will eat Biden’s lunch in a trade debate. Trump is for fair trade and Biden is for free trade.

[hlthe2b]

4. hmmm. thanks both for the info

[FoxNewsSucks]

5. tRump's doing it wrong. No surprise there,

Hartmann states that since MF45 is using executive orders to impose his selective tariffs, no corporation will make a US investment in factories because by the time the factory is built, up and running, a different president might already end the tariff. If congress passes a tariff by law, that would be far more permanent, and corporations would be more willing to make a long-term expenditure.

Personally, I also think the selective nature of MF45's tariffs is just another of the pussygrabber's mistakes. As is giving no-strings bailout money to corporations and the likes of Sen. Schmuck Assley (R-IA).

[Marie Marie]

6. "tRump's doing it wrong. No surprise there",

Just about sums up everything he does.

[krispos42]

7. I know my feelings on the subject

And I used to listen to Thom a lot when I lived in Minnesota and listened to Air America. Now I mostly hear him on clips from Best of the Left podcast.

Anyway, my feelings are this:

It took decades of gradual changes to get ourselves into this position. Thus, to avoid screwing everything up, we have to spend a few years phasing in changes in an open and predictable fashion so the economy has time to adapt. Orders are in the pipelines for various items for months, sometimes, and this random and arbitrary method of sometimes maybe putting in a tariff with no warning screws things up. The steel industry isn't going to re-open and expand mills if the tariffs are going to be short-term or otherwise inconsistent. Announce tariffs, phase them in gradually over a ten-year period, give both the consumers and producers time to work on adjusting production and pricing accordingly.

We also need to stop importing so many finished goods. Converting raw materials into finished goods adds a lot of value, so to protect our economy WE should be doing that addition, not another country. We should only be importing small quantities of finished goods, things either we can't make enough of or items that are luxury items. It's okay to be importing Lamborghinis, not Toyotas. If demand for Toyotas is that high, they should be made here. (I'm aware that many foreign nameplates do this already; it's an example).

The way Dolt45 is doing this makes me think he's simply insider-trading, directly or indirectly, for his own personal profit and a select group of others.

[hlthe2b]

8. Agree with you on the likely insider trading motivation for Trump. It is infuriating...

[MurrayDelph]

9. I stopped listening when he started

offering to trade birthright citizenship for tariffs, which I always thought was mighty white of him.

Theoretically, he should be thrilled.