TARIFFS are a Quagmire. No one has communicated the actual options

[Layzeebeaver]

People need to remember that there are only THREE real options here...

OPTION 1: TARIFF: Costs for products entering the US are proportionally increased = High pain to ALL consumers

OPTION 2: IMPORT RESTRICTIONS: Pain to specific consumers desiring a foreign product = reducing a supply restriction means people that really want something (and have the means to procure it) are not really affected = the rich still get what they want.

OPTION 3: DOMESTIC INDUSTRY SUPPORTt = specific in-country rebates that drive consumption of domestic products and services = folks buy domestic stuff AND get what they want AND they get government support to do it - Yes, its still taxpayers paying to support domestic industry, but at least the consumers get something at a reduced cost.

I recommend we go with 3, then it is essential that the nation knows this. Communication is key.

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Well, we certainly provide plenty of subsidies to fossil fuel production.

https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2023/08/24/fossil-fuel-subsidies-surged-to-record-7-trillion

Wonder why that's considered "acceptable" while other subsidies are verboten.

Tsf wants to encourage even more drilling for oil, while producers are already profiting from huge exports (i.e. not for US consumption) and know that expansion of production would decrease overall profits -- something which they have no interest in doing, subsidies or no.

[Layzeebeaver]

2. that falls into option 3

domestic support.

we can debate the context - and whether we should or should not pay for it.

but it still falls under option 3 - domestic support.