2 thoughts on “Effective Tariff Rates *before* Copper & Brazil”
Macroduck
Unindicted co-conspirator Wilbur Ross says the felon-in-chief’s use of tariffs against Brazil is not new for the felon. He has used tariffs against Mexico to extract greater cooperation in drug interdiction and against Europe for increased military spending:
What Ross seems to have missed is that the felon is meddling in purely domestic Brazilian affairs this time, the outcome of a criminal trial. Yes, Bolsenaro attempted to overturn the results of a democratic election, just as Trump did, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Bolsenaro trial is a purely Brazilian matter.
Imposing tariffs when we run a surplus with Brazil violates the felon’s own rules for imposing tariffs, and also violates U.S. law – none of the usual legal justifications for tariffs apply to Brazil. Citing the Bolsenaro case doesn’t make these tariffs more illegal, but certainly doesn’t fall within the law. It’s just the felon reminding us how he feels about democracy.
Ivan
Ross’s idea that Europe has increased its military spending because of anything US and Trump has said or done is just plain ignorance.
Before Putin’s attack on Ukraine and the long term conventional arms conflict there was little need to have anything but a credible nuclear weapons program as defense against Russia. Border skirmishes between NATO and Russia were expected to last no longer than a week before the all out nuclear weapons exchange destroyed everybody and everything, everywhere. The reason that no war-games ever lasted past 7 days before the final big boom, was the great strategic advantage of being the first to shoot off all their nuclear weapons. But if nuclear war and mutual destruction is going to happen that quick then why waste money on all these conventional weapons.
The experiences in Ukraine has suggested that limited conventional weapons war with Russia may be possible – especially if they simply rush in and take over a small country in a short period of time. This has increased the need for conventional forces in Europe. So we went from no need for conventional forces to a need for conventional forces and Europe has acted to that change. In my opinion they have over-reacted and are building up way more than they need.
Unindicted co-conspirator Wilbur Ross says the felon-in-chief’s use of tariffs against Brazil is not new for the felon. He has used tariffs against Mexico to extract greater cooperation in drug interdiction and against Europe for increased military spending:
https://www.morningstar.com/news/marketwatch/20250710241/trumps-brazil-tariff-sets-a-scary-precedent-given-the-us-has-a-trade-surplus-with-the-country-economists-say
What Ross seems to have missed is that the felon is meddling in purely domestic Brazilian affairs this time, the outcome of a criminal trial. Yes, Bolsenaro attempted to overturn the results of a democratic election, just as Trump did, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Bolsenaro trial is a purely Brazilian matter.
Imposing tariffs when we run a surplus with Brazil violates the felon’s own rules for imposing tariffs, and also violates U.S. law – none of the usual legal justifications for tariffs apply to Brazil. Citing the Bolsenaro case doesn’t make these tariffs more illegal, but certainly doesn’t fall within the law. It’s just the felon reminding us how he feels about democracy.
Ross’s idea that Europe has increased its military spending because of anything US and Trump has said or done is just plain ignorance.
Before Putin’s attack on Ukraine and the long term conventional arms conflict there was little need to have anything but a credible nuclear weapons program as defense against Russia. Border skirmishes between NATO and Russia were expected to last no longer than a week before the all out nuclear weapons exchange destroyed everybody and everything, everywhere. The reason that no war-games ever lasted past 7 days before the final big boom, was the great strategic advantage of being the first to shoot off all their nuclear weapons. But if nuclear war and mutual destruction is going to happen that quick then why waste money on all these conventional weapons.
The experiences in Ukraine has suggested that limited conventional weapons war with Russia may be possible – especially if they simply rush in and take over a small country in a short period of time. This has increased the need for conventional forces in Europe. So we went from no need for conventional forces to a need for conventional forces and Europe has acted to that change. In my opinion they have over-reacted and are building up way more than they need.