Donald I, emperor of the world.

[KingstonGraham]

Did you pause at all to admire the scientific formula they produced? It had Greek letters in it.

Could have been written in emojis.

I guess they never considered the question "will making people in Lesotho poorer make them more likely to buy American cars?". Eliminating the trade deficit with Lesotho by having companies move their clothes production to a different (non-USA) country doesn't feel like a worthwhile policy goal for a confident nation.

 

[Bazzer]

Sure is interesting: if they say it's legit, Trump can deport anyone he doesn't like and as soon as that person is in a foreign jail over which the US has no power, there would be no duty or power to undo the wrong. They are getting closer and closer to thinking about other 'solutions'. The history of Trump47 is that each of his mad statements that people have said "He's only joking and won't really do that", he's then done.

I see the attorney who argued on behalf of the DoJ has now been "sidelined" i.e. sacked, for telling the truth to the judge.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us...s-return-man-deported-erroneously-2025-04-06/

This says everything about the ethics of the Attorney General Pam Bondi and her deputy Todd Blanche a former US Attorney and defence attorney.

 

[Pblakeney]

I see the attorney who argued on behalf of the DoJ has now been "sidelined" i.e. sacked, for telling the truth to the judge.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us...s-return-man-deported-erroneously-2025-04-06/

This says everything about the ethics of the Attorney General Pam Bondi and her deputy Todd Blanche a former US Attorney and defence attorney.

 

[Pross]

I t

The big plan here is to encourage people abroad to buy more American stuff by threatening them, insulting them and generally pissing them off.

I think it's more that he wants to go back to the days when Americans only bought American. The problem is that over the past few decades Americans have started to realise that things like cars are far superior from other countries and probably won't be happy that they are being priced out of the higher quality, more refined makes and forced back to US shite (which often aren't even US manufactured any more). I've been try to thing of what US produced physical products I've bought and can't really think of anything.

 

[Dorset Boy]

I t

I think it's more that he wants to go back to the days when Americans only bought American. The problem is that over the past few decades Americans have started to realise that things like cars are far superior from other countries and probably won't be happy that they are being priced out of the higher quality, more refined makes and forced back to US shite (which often aren't even US manufactured any more). I've been try to thing of what US produced physical products I've bought and can't really think of anything.

Californian wine? (or was that whine?)

It might be interesting to try to draw up a list of US produced good that people actually buy overseas.
Maybe the odd bike or bike wheel?

 

[matticus]

Californian wine? (or was that whine?)

Nope - although I buy plenty of Chilean/Argie stuff!

It might be interesting to try to draw up a list of US produced good that people actually buy overseas.
Maybe the odd bike or bike wheel?

Yes, would be interesting. I certainly hope to buy some Chris King stuff at some point (any tarrif will increase the main obstacle to my buying his stuff, sadly ...). Not aware of any other US-made bike bits, but I may be naive!

 

[Pross]

Californian wine? (or was that whine?)

It might be interesting to try to draw up a list of US produced good that people actually buy overseas.
Maybe the odd bike or bike wheel?

I assume that bikes and wheels are actually manufactured in Taiwan. If I drink wine, which is rare, it's usually European or Australian. The thing I'm stuck with is tech and media I guess, most will be a choice between US companies or nothing.

 

[KingstonGraham]

I t

I think it's more that he wants to go back to the days when Americans only bought American. The problem is that over the past few decades Americans have started to realise that things like cars are far superior from other countries and probably won't be happy that they are being priced out of the higher quality, more refined makes and forced back to US shite (which often aren't even US manufactured any more). I've been try to thing of what US produced physical products I've bought and can't really think of anything.

Nope. He wants to eliminate income tax. If he gets his way, I don't think there is a negotiation that can happen to bring the general rate down from the 10% because he needs to take money in from the tariffs.

The "reciprocal" tariffs are a distraction from that. These will be reduced or got rid of for most countries, but the 10% will stay. He doesn't care that it means that more people pay more tax, he just wants to reduce income tax.

 

[Pross]

Looking at the things he has exempted from tariffs is interesting as it suggests these are things the US need to import so our manufacturers ought to bump up their US prices.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

It might be interesting to try to draw up a list of US produced good that people actually buy overseas.

My Garmin's on its last legs. Should I replace it now? Or should I start the boycott now?
And I'm writing this on an Chinese Android phone. Could get complicated.

 

[Pross]

My Garmin's on its last legs. Should I replace it now? Or should I start the boycott now?
And I'm writing this on an Chinese Android phone. Could get complicated.

Ah, good thinking - I have a Garmin watch. I might get a Suunto when it finally needs replacing which would be a shame as I do like Garmin products. Might need to move back away from Apple to an Android phone too.

 

[Psamathe]

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said on Monday that the European Union needed to lower its non-tariff barriers, including those created by value-added taxes and food safety regulations, if it wanted to reach a deal.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...er-cent-china-us-politics-latest-updates-news

US doesn't seem to understand VAT is not a trade barrier and is levied on all goods including domestically produced product and nothing to do with imports or US. They are impacting the world without even bothering to understand the situation - beggars belief and really does suggest no sensible outcome.

Similarly I can't see the EU changing its food safety regulations to accommodate Trump's sub-standard produce.

For some reason Trump and his fan club have decided they actively hate the EU so I suspect they'll just be finding ever impossible requirements just because they have such bile towards the block. And the EU as a block represents a significant trading group not some small country that accepts being pushed around and responds with further & faster rhetoric (whilst having cool heads).

Ian

 

[BoldonLad]

Just put my monthly payment into my SIPP and looked at the graph for my fund. It had been growing strongly last year, plunged in January when Donnie came into power and started spouting bollox then picked back up a bit when it looked like it might be mainly just talk before falling off a cliff last week wiping out pretty much all of last years gains. It's depressing, Trump is making a lot of people poorer.

You haven’t “lost” anything until you sell, or, I believe the jargon is “crystallise the loss”.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

You haven’t “lost” anything until you sell, or, I believe the jargon is “crystallise the lose”.

It's just a paper loss at the moment. That's what I'm trying to believe anyway - just about possible while the sun shines and I've got a few quid in the bank for immediate funds.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Californian wine? (or was that whine?)

It might be interesting to try to draw up a list of US produced good that people actually buy overseas.
Maybe the odd bike or bike wheel?

I am partial to a good Lodi Zinfandel, but I have stopped buying it, along with everything else from the States.

Besides, I get most of my wine discounted from my nephew’s UK distributor. He mostly imports high end Argentinan Malbec, so I can just about cope!🥳