US Commerce department: car imports into U.S. are national security threat

Sources.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2...g-chances-trump-tariffs-sources/#.XGqYMlXiaUk

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...eat-to-us-national-security-vda-idUSKCN1Q60IJ

So the US Department of Commerce reports that car imports ... especially those from the EU and here especially those from Germany ... are a threat to national security for the US.

How ridiculous is that?
Although I understand that Trump is politically under pressure and a panacea of the powerful under pressure then always had to be active in foreign policy ... but that's really sick!

But OK, we Germans and so slowly the last Europeans have understood that the US under Trump no longer see us as friends and allies, but more and more as an enemy image of what to attack. We are just so outrageous to have full sovereignty again for almost 30 years and since then to insist on our interests and to put them higher than those of the US, if they are different. Many do not realize this ... which is why the evil World War II and the Nazis have to serve again and again to show how evil we Germans were once and now are again.

That Trump, his government and even his followers have no sense of facts and realities, but love to tell total bull**** for a long time and even believe this nonsense by their own too, we know ... no matter about what topic the issue is.

But 3 core facts ... kept by by Trump secret and never reported in the US widely ... because these facts would totally destroy Trump's credibility in this issue.

# 01
The German automotive industry alone has 300 plants in the US with 113,000 workers ... US workers! And considering that many of the suppliers (such as Siemens or Bosch) have other factories outside the automotive sector, there are even more US workers being employed by these companies and corporations ... about 150,000 to 160,000 in total!

#02
BMW alone was the largest exporter of cars "Made in the USA" in 2017. For example, all BMW of the X Series SUVs are built exclusively in the US only and exported from the US to the world ... including to Germany ... and sold. Let's add VW and Mercedes to BMW, then these 3 are for lengths bigger and more important in the US and for the US economy than the big 3 US brands Ford, Chrysler and General Motors!

# 03
Yes, imported US cars are quadrupled in the EU than EU cars in the US as far as tariffs are concerned. But hardly anyone in the US knows that this also applies to any of the BMW SUVs mentioned above ... simply because Made in the USA.
So why are lesser US cars in the EU bought than the other way around ... because of the higher tariffs not really?
The reason is simple ...
a) Many US cars have a higher fuel consumption and since in the EU gasoline is almost three times as expensive as in the US, that's an important factor!
b) General Motors with its brands has almost no dealer network in the EU, where should you buy their cars then? Take Chrysler since the marriage with FIAT is different, because each of the many FIAT dealer also offers Dodge & Co and since then they are also bought more in the EU! Ford is even better, they have several factories here and every Ford dealer can also sell US Fords, e.g. the Ford Mustang!

But we are now in the opinion of the US Department of Commerce, a threat to national security and thus the evil enemy!

And you are seriously wondering that you and your current president are no longer taken seriously and that you and your presidents are seen as a danger to the world ... closer to the level of a Hitler?
He once had similar arguments in the 1930's ... like your Donald Trump today!

 

Global Trade is a threat..

Trumpers are phucking stupid

 

Agreed ...

 

My goodness, what a disjointed, and poorly disguised anti Trump screed.

Bad trade agreements leading to substantial imbalance in trade is indeed a threat to National Security. That's fundamental to any Nation.

You should rethink how you create your propaganda so that it might have some degree of relevancy and avoid the hyperbolic language that makes it dismissible.

 

Everything is now a national threat now it seems. Expect the ten of thousands dying from our faux healthcare system, children being shot to death in schools, our crumbling infrastructure and exploding debt.

Some priorities y’all have.

 

Hyperbole is a poor replacement for rational observation.

 

You don't realize this is all hysterical fake news speculation and no such statements have actually been made by the commerce department?

 

I see you finally found a topic that qualifies you to comment on

Congradulations

I disagree with the report

American cars do have certain disadvantages when competing with euro products in europe

Because german cars are fine products thanks to german engineering

GM?

Not so much

One problem is American union workers who build GM, Fords and Chrysler cars

I dont think BMW or Toyota could succeed if they had to build cars in michigan using UAW workers instead of non union workers in the South

The real threat to America comes from china not germany

But some german leaders are trying to catch up with the chinese in that respect

 

Like I said, some priorities.
Y’all should be proud! History will remember you fondly

 

Yes it will.

 

What is here a bad trade agreement please? Ther eis no trade agreement existing about. And that these German manufactures are the biggest US car exporters and are more important for the US economy as the origin US brands makes them to be a threat!

May we shall answer this way that we force out companies to close all their plants in the USA and to fire these 150,000 US workers and then to build up the plants in our country up?

And you know that these German manufactures are victim of the US - Chinese trade war too, because China puts on their products if build in the USA also punitative tariffs, eh?

Think about a little bit more please!

 

Here is a link to the WTO. On that site are annual reports listing all the tariffs member countries impose on imports.

I would suggest you review those reports and the tariffs documented, from 2016, 2017 and see how they compare to the tariffs the United States had in place for imports.

https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/reser_e/tariff_profiles_e.htm

 

Whatever the import duties the germans have on American cars we should charge them the same

 

Congratualtions ...

It is not because of Germans build better cars or develop better cars ... because they are build thoughout the world at least. The disadvantage is as told due to have no real dealer net in Europe like GM and their brands ... and that the average fuel consumption is often higher as those of European cars. And this is a hard point, due to fact that our fuel prices are about 3 times higher as in the US.
Take Chrysler and you will see that since they are married with the Italian FIAT Group, every of the huge number of dealers in Europe sell since then Dodge, Jeep & Co too and the selling numbers increase drastic since then. So at least more a matter of having a dealer network to sell US cars here. Le't look on Chevrolet for example and I must say that in my city which has nearly 1.1 million citizens, I know only 1 dealer in the complete city and this one is since decades a general importer of US cars of all brands + service issues.... 1 reply: 1 dealer in the complete city of 1 million people ... any further wondering why not much Chevy are sold here?

And about the other point yu named ... ehm ... sorry, but are there BMW, Mercedes, VW and all the many others to blame and accuse for that they have their plants not in Detroit but in another part of the USA?
Is this existing local difference inside the USA anything where these german companies are guilty for? Not at all!
In reverse I can ask, why GM, Ford and Chrysler have not moved their plants to the South too then, eh?

And about China ... you know that on any BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen and every car part build in the USA and then exported from the USA to China are also Chinese punitative tariffs too?

 

Those claiming that trade imbalances are a threat don't understand even the basics of trade. Not even econ 101. Trade creates wealth for both sides whether there is an imbalance or not. This was literally the point Adam Smith made in 1776. Trumpian protectionists are centuries out of date. Hong Kong got filthy rich running at a trade "deficit." Trump and others just get confused because they don't grasp the fact that a trade deficit is not an actual monetary deficit. It isn't money lost.

 

Thank you for offering your personal opinion on the matter.

 

The fact that trade creates wealth is an objective fact, not an opinion. Every Econ101 text covers it. Comparative advantage: we've known about it for over 2 centuries. I can literally think of only one economist in existence who still pretends trade is a zero-sum game.

 

GM would need the UAW permission to make cars in Georgia with non union workers

And its doubtful the union will ever do that

GM is trapped

 

Did you read this thoroughly too?
If you take all goods of trade between the US and the EU and reverse and compare the tariffs and then make an average tariff of all ... the US pays about 0.2% more tariff in the EU.
Sure ... at this good the US pays much more tariff in the EU as reversed, but at another good it is reversed. Look on tariffs on Pick Up Trucks for example.

But again... this tariff discussion is bullcrap. On every SUV of the X-Serie of BMW is the same tariff as on every Chevy, Dodge etc. ... why? because both are build in the US! And then ask yourself why more BMW SUV are sold as SUV from Chevy... it is not because of tariff or general dislkiking US cars!

 

Trade creates wealth in the country that makes the product that is traded

 

So an internal law problem and Union problem of regulations in the USA, when South Carolina acts otherwise as Michigan? Is this any guilt of BMW if these differences inside the USA are existing and they use it for their own advantage, when the US Union is not able to make it US wide common? Sorry ... blame your depending laws, politicians and the lame Union for it ... but not BMW.

P.S.
BTW ... I personally don't like BMW cars and will never buy a BMW in my life ... so no miss-understnading that I am a BMW fan or so.

 

Again, your opinion is noted. Perhaps you need to expand your data base.

https://www.epi.org/publication/trade-deficits-consequences-policy-implications/

Consequences of trade deficits
Trade deficits have harmed the domestic economy in at least three direct ways. First, the steady growth in our trade deficits over the past two decades has eliminated millions of U.S. manufacturing jobs. Between 1979 and 1994, trade eliminated 2.4 million jobs in the U.S.2 Growing trade deficits were responsible for most of these job losses, which were concentrated in manufacturing, because most trade involves the sale of manufactured goods.​

 

This, again, has been known to be false since at least 1776. It creates wealth for both sides. You are trying to undo over two centuries of capitalism and go back to the failed theory of mercantilism, which crumbled with Adam Smith's basic observations of comparative advantage. You literally benefit from it every time you trade or you would never trade with anyone. Why did you buy a car instead of mining all the necessary ore and build every piece of it from scratch? Hint: comparative advantage.

 

One point is that in this trade deficit counting is never the "good" service included. If this would be included, there is no trade deficit of the US anymore existing... and rgight this is the reason why Hing Kong ghives a crap on their trade deficit, because with service they make so much money and are so wealthy as they are!

 

Name any trade deal that has resulted in fewer net jobs for the US. Yes, it means fewer manufacturing jobs, but not fewer jobs overall. You can keep calling facts opinions when they are inconvenient, but that won't make them go away.