The Bizarre Source of POTUS' Tariff Obsession

[Walker88]

Step aside, The Onion; reality is weirder and funnier.

 

POTUS might have always had a woody for tariffs, though it's quite clear now he never understood them nor ever read David Ricardo. He probably thinks Smoot & Hawley were a one-hit wonder band from the 60s, kind of like Zager & Evans.

 

In his first term playing POTUS, he tasked his son-in-law Jared with finding him an expert on tariffs to add to his Administration. Jared went on Amazon and searched for books on tariffs, figuring he would find an expert somewhere. Jared spotted a book called "Death By China" that argued China was killing the US via trade policies. The author was a guy named Peter Navarro. Jared liked the title and recommended it to dad-in-law.

 

POTUS added Navarro as his tariff guru.

 

In his book, Navarro repeatedly quoted an economist named Ron Varo. Varo was portrayed as someone who had researched tariffs and had all the facts, forming the basis for Navarro's own opinions, which reinforced the opinions of POTUS.

 

There's only one problem: Ron Varo does not exist. He's a made up character. Ron Varo is also an anagram of N A V A R R O.

 

So when your 401K evaporates or your insurance company cannot pay a policy claim, thank Ron Varo.

 

You can also order Death By China on Amazon. Perhaps Amazon will offer it in a package along with Art of the Deal, so you can get two seminal works of fiction.

[placeholder]

Here's a link for that to the original article exposing Navarro's dishonesty.

 

Trump's China Muse Has an Imaginary Friend

Who is Ron Vara

https://archive.ph/f0fS5

[spidermike007]

32 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

Step aside, The Onion; reality is weirder and funnier.

 

POTUS might have always had a woody for tariffs, though it's quite clear now he never understood them nor ever read David Ricardo. He probably thinks Smoot & Hawley were a one-hit wonder band from the 60s, kind of like Zager & Evans.

 

In his first term playing POTUS, he tasked his son-in-law Jared with finding him an expert on tariffs to add to his Administration. Jared went on Amazon and searched for books on tariffs, figuring he would find an expert somewhere. Jared spotted a book called "Death By China" that argued China was killing the US via trade policies. The author was a guy named Peter Navarro. Jared liked the title and recommended it to dad-in-law.

 

POTUS added Navarro as his tariff guru.

 

In his book, Navarro repeatedly quoted an economist named Ron Varo. Varo was portrayed as someone who had researched tariffs and had all the facts, forming the basis for Navarro's own opinions, which reinforced the opinions of POTUS.

 

There's only one problem: Ron Varo does not exist. He's a made up character. Ron Varo is also an anagram of N A V A R R O.

 

So when your 401K evaporates or your insurance company cannot pay a policy claim, thank Ron Varo.

 

You can also order Death By China on Amazon. Perhaps Amazon will offer it in a package along with Art of the Deal, so you can get two seminal works of fiction.

Exactly. So what it would appear that Trump is taking advice from second-hand ghosts, or destructive spirits from the demon world. 

 

He appears to be chasing some sort of elusive shadow, and engaging in a never-ending quest for demons. 

 

It is about showing what he can get away with. It’s about showing his enemies that what they support, he can tear down. It is all about displays of brute strength. He gets off on that, and in that sense, it seems not so much an autocracy but a flexocracy. Let me show you how I can flex my bicep as I use it to power my fist coming into your face.

 

It’s not about any coherent values. It’s not about any North Star. It’s about showing that you can turn the boat 180 degrees around and that you can do whatever you want and you can bring the people who opposed you to their knees.

 

And then there is simply the last possibility which is very likely, and that is that he's being dictated to by the deep state and he simply a puppet being jerked around and told what to do by a group that has very sinister intentions. And the last thing in the world they are considering is the well-being of the average American, or the average person who has their money invested in American stocks, investments or bonds. 

 

 

 

[Tom100]

In Trump's first term, his senior staff (Miller & Bannon) selected the most anti-China group of trade advisors ever assembled including Peter Navarro, Robert Lighthizer, Wilbur Ross, Larry Kudlow, and Michael Pillsbury. Trump could never have selected these advisors himself because he does not read books (or anything?). 

Trump publicly complained about China hundreds of times – and the result was a dramatic change in public opinion towards China, as seen in polling results below. Democrats have also accepted the view that China is the cause of America’s relative decline. See graphic.
Pathetic. 

[Tom100]

Here is a picture of Navarro with (China-hater) Gordan Chang at the release of a film version of his book "Death By China".  Trump only listens...very briefly..to those that agree with him. Look at his Treasury Secretay Scott Bessent as an exmple. 

[spidermike007]

Even Fox news seems to be abondoning, or at the very least questioning highly misinformed, and spectacularly ignorant, dangerous and arrogant Goombah policies.

 

 

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

18 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Even Fox news seems to be abondoning, or at the very least questioning highly misinformed, and spectacularly ignorant, dangerous and arrogant Goombah policies.

 

 

 

 

 

   Is that the same Fox news that are untrustworthy and always wrong about everything and always lies ?

   Or are they suddenly a reliable media source now ?

[BLMFem]

14 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Is that the same Fox news that are untrustworthy and always wrong about everything and always lies ?

   Or are they suddenly a reliable media source now ?

They most certainly are not, and when even the nut jobs at Fox abandon him you know Trump has made a historically big pile of kaka.

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, Tom100 said:

In Trump's first term, his senior staff (Miller & Bannon) selected the most anti-China group of trade advisors ever assembled including Peter Navarro, Robert Lighthizer, Wilbur Ross, Larry Kudlow, and Michael Pillsbury. Trump could never have selected these advisors himself because he does not read books (or anything?). 

Trump publicly complained about China hundreds of times – and the result was a dramatic change in public opinion towards China, as seen in polling results below. Democrats have also accepted the view that China is the cause of America’s relative decline. See graphic.
Pathetic. 

These charts do not show that Democrats, or for that matter, most Americans  "China is the cause of America’s relative decline." No doubt there is a strong element of hostility based on economics. Especially lately considering how China's economic policies do little to boost internal consumer demand but instead focus on exports as a way of digging itself out of the economic hole it has dug for itself. But there are other reasons to disapprove of China. And it isn't only Americans who disapprove of China.

https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2023/07/27/views-of-china/

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

3 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

They most certainly are not, and when even the nut jobs at Fox abandon him you know Trump has made a historically big pile of kaka.

 

   So ,  you now trust those nutjob at Fox news ?

I thought they were an untrustworthy unreliable news source , so I kept getting told 

[placeholder]

Just now, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   So ,  you now trust those nutjob at Fox news ?

I thought they were an untrustworthy unreliable news source , so I kept getting told 

The key word in BLMFem's comment is "even". Which is a reference to their political biases..

[BLMFem]

15 minutes ago, placeholder said:

The key word in BLMFem's comment is "even". Which is a reference to their political biases..

He knows that, he's just playing childish games. Par for the course.

[ericbj]

UNKNOWN EFFECTS OF TRUMP TARIFFS

 

Dependent upon currently quoted tariff rates, and on the extent they remain as they are, we are likely to see changes in global trading patterns with the USA, influenced by the different rates imposed on different countries.

 

Many U.S. companies moved their factories from China to Vietnam or Cambodia to avoid tariffs on Chinese goods (and at the same time employ a cheaper workforce than present-day Chinese labour).  Now they may need to move again.

 

The question is: whither?

 

To the U.S.?
Would they be able to produce in the U.S. at a cost of less than the c.i.f. price from South-East Asia plus import duty?  Very uncertain.
Remember the cost of building and equipping a factory in the U.S. needs to be included in the calculations.

(Let's ignore that a major recession would result in vacant industrial premises etc.  But also most likely diminished market demand for the product to be produced)

 

This is where consideration of lower tariffs imposed on other ASEAN countries, and local taxes, and availability of any technical skills needed by the work-force, come into consideration.
 Lower tariffs rates are:
Singapore    10%
Philippines    17%
Malaysia    24%
Thailand    36%

 

Trump is bringing about a regionalisation of world trade.  The U.S. will no longer be the global hegemon but will still be a major player on the world scene.

 

Trump's modus operandi is bizarre in the extreme, does not conform with the norms we have known in recent times, and is likely producing results that he himself never foresaw.  The result is chaos.

 

But a consequence of this may be to break the mould of thought that developed our world to what it has become, only to stagnate and leave us with defunct and often corrupt institutions, that could only fail.
Failure of the old is a necessity to make way for the new.

 

The seeds of failure were sown at Bretton Woods, but began to sprout with Nixon's "temporary" removal of gold-backing to the dollar.  And the dollar has been taking the U.S.A. down ever since.

 

Trump is accelerating the decline of the outworn.  Hard times ahead.  But new horizons can usher in better prospects for the generations to come.  So long as we do not descend to firing off nuclear weapons.
An ever present threat when playing at brinkmanship.

[NoDisplayName]

2 hours ago, Tom100 said:

Here is a picture of Navarro with (China-hater) Gordan Chang at the release of a film version of his book "Death By China". 

 

So the Falun Gong is behind this?

 

Maybe the CCP got it right......

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Is that the same Fox news that are untrustworthy and always wrong about everything and always lies ?

   Or are they suddenly a reliable media source now ?

As is often the case you are completely missing the point, as you are blinded by partisanship. I am simply making a point that there is some criticism being leveled toward Trump policies, at this point, from Republicans, which is a good thing.

 

A democracy consists of open and free discussion, does it not? Typically a democracy does not forbid people from being openly critical, that happens with more of an authoritarian dictatorship, is that not the case? 

 

Please, at least make an effort to try to be truthful, objective and genuine, if you are going to reply. 

[Digitalbanana]

The revelation that "Ron Vara" was fictional caused controversy, especially given Navarro's role as a top trade adviser in the Trump administration. Critics argued that presenting a fictional character as an expert in a non-fiction book undermined the credibility of his arguments. Navarro's publisher eventually added a note to reprints of "Death by China" clarifying that "Ron Vara" is not a real person but an alias created by Navarro.

Perhaps now we need a similar disclaimer note about Trumps top trade adviser?

[madone]

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Is that the same Fox news that are untrustworthy and always wrong about everything and always lies ?

   Or are they suddenly a reliable media source now ?

 

Point well missed! 

 

I reckon you'd be an amusing if you didn't always end up believing your own nonsense  

 

[madone]

1 hour ago, BLMFem said:

He knows that, he's just playing childish games. Par for the course.

 

Kap.

[kwonitoy]

 

[kwonitoy]

 

[kwonitoy]

 

[save the frogs]

One theory is that the tariffs are meant to lead to a new international "ACCORD" ... 

Let's wait and see ...

And then there will be 100 threads on AN arguing about the accord. Should be fun. 

 

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

One theory is that the tariffs are meant to lead to a new international "ACCORD" ... 

Let's wait and see ...

And then there will be 100 threads on AN arguing about the accord. Should be fun. 

 

An interesting proposition.

 

Tell me, when you get punched in the mouth by a bully, is your reaction to seek an "ACCORD"?

 

I don't know about you, but mine is a swift kick in the nuts.

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I don't know about you, but mine is a swift kick in the nuts.

thats precisely why we dont let you be in charge of nothing.

because you lack diplomacy and you're too hot-headed.

 

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

thats precisely why we dont let you be in charge of nothing.

because you lack diplomacy and you're too hot-headed.

 

You're telling me Trump is diplomatic?

[swissie]

10 hours ago, Walker88 said:

Step aside, The Onion; reality is weirder and funnier.

 

POTUS might have always had a woody for tariffs, though it's quite clear now he never understood them nor ever read David Ricardo. He probably thinks Smoot & Hawley were a one-hit wonder band from the 60s, kind of like Zager & Evans.

 

In his first term playing POTUS, he tasked his son-in-law Jared with finding him an expert on tariffs to add to his Administration. Jared went on Amazon and searched for books on tariffs, figuring he would find an expert somewhere. Jared spotted a book called "Death By China" that argued China was killing the US via trade policies. The author was a guy named Peter Navarro. Jared liked the title and recommended it to dad-in-law.

 

POTUS added Navarro as his tariff guru.

 

In his book, Navarro repeatedly quoted an economist named Ron Varo. Varo was portrayed as someone who had researched tariffs and had all the facts, forming the basis for Navarro's own opinions, which reinforced the opinions of POTUS.

 

There's only one problem: Ron Varo does not exist. He's a made up character. Ron Varo is also an anagram of N A V A R R O.

 

So when your 401K evaporates or your insurance company cannot pay a policy claim, thank Ron Varo.

 

You can also order Death By China on Amazon. Perhaps Amazon will offer it in a package along with Art of the Deal, so you can get two seminal works of fiction.

I think it would be helpful to immerse ourselfs into the mental universe of Donald.

He is a real estate guy and still is. "Diplomacy" to him is reduced to monetary deals.

 

During his career, he may have learned something about "microeconomics", but "macroecomics" is something he simply does not understand.

 

In his first term, he fired advisors that did not support his simplistic views. This time he made sure that only strict loyalists are part of his surroundings.

 

In other words: Donald has not managed to elevate his microeconomic knowledge to the level of macroeconomics. That is the root of all problems that the rest of the world faces today, only because 1 person in power, has refused to do his homework.

[gamb00ler]

8 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Is that the same Fox news that are untrustworthy and always wrong about everything and always lies ?

   Or are they suddenly a reliable media source now ?

They're just joining the woke.... better late than never.