Trump's tariff wars...long post.

[Downunderwonder]

7 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

A misspelling.

 

https://www.eileenworkman.com/

The quintessential modern day Hippie. I'll make my own way, ta.

[chris_b]

Trump's power grab continues and ramps up. . . .

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFg9hR6eEYA

 

[SteveXFR]

On 20/02/2025 at 20:27, TimR said:

 

He is definitely on the spectrum and no doubt has ADHD. Which is kind of ironic considering the republicans don't believe that exists. Or the ones that do, blame it on vaccinations. 

 

I'm not so sure about him having ADHD. Some of the typical characteristics just aren't there with him. He's almost the opposite in some ways.

He's certainly not sane though. 

[Al Krow]

Well seems that Trump has just scored a massive win with his tariffs?

 

Apple Corp. that most iconic of US companies makes most of its phones not in the USA but...China. Turns out that China's biggest trade surplus with the US, by some margin, is in electronic goods.

 

Apple have just announced a $500 BILLION investment programme into the US "as it scrambles to beat Trump's China tariffs". A lot of Americans are obviously going to be crediting their president with that.

[prowla]

11 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Well seems that Trump has just scored a massive win with his tariffs?

 

Apple Corp. that most iconic of US companies makes most of its phones not in the USA but...China. Turns out that China's biggest trade surplus with the US, by some margin, is in electronic goods.

 

Apple have just announced a $500 BILLION investment programme into the US "as it scrambles to beat Trump's China tariffs". A lot of Americans are obviously going to be crediting their president with that.

 

That is good news for the USA.

[tegs07]

45 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

A lot of Americans are obviously going to be crediting their president with that.

Right up until the point of sale when they are paying more for their iPhones  etc. I think the last quarter of 2025 is going to reveal the start of some stubborn and persistent inflation. Not just in the US but globally. 

 

Remember Trump was primarily elected on the premise that Bidenomics caused inflation and made Americans poorer.

Edited February 24 by tegs07

[Woodinblack]

53 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Apple have just announced a $500 BILLION investment programme into the US "as it scrambles to beat Trump's China tariffs". A lot of Americans are obviously going to be crediting their president with that.

 

Apple said that they would consider moving their foxcon plants from Mexico to the US - that isn't where the build the phones. There is no way that anyone would be able to afford the cost of a phone made in the US, especially as the only place the processors are made is in taiwan, which means that the chips for the phone would have to be imported from there, which means they would still face a 25% tarrif.

[tauzero]

50 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Well seems that Trump has just scored a massive win with his tariffs?

 

Apple Corp. that most iconic of US companies makes most of its phones not in the USA but...China. Turns out that China's biggest trade surplus with the US, by some margin, is in electronic goods.

 

Apple have just announced a $500 BILLION investment programme into the US "as it scrambles to beat Trump's China tariffs". A lot of Americans are obviously going to be crediting their president with that.

 

Won't do much to alter the trade surplus - it's to make servers for the Apple Intelligence AI system. iPhones etc are still going to be made in China.

[Russ]

46 minutes ago, prowla said:

 

That is good news for the USA.

They're not investing in manufacturing. They're opening an AI development hub in Austin (where they already have a campus - I've been there), and it's something that's been planned for some considerable time, well before Tr**p 2.0. All Apple hardware is still going to be made in the Far East.

[Obrienp]

4 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

Won't do much to alter the trade surplus - it's to make servers for the Apple Intelligence AI system. iPhones etc are still going to be made in China.

Never really associated Apple with servers. I think they discontinued their last attempt. I guess AI servers are gong to be very specialised. I wonder what the business case is for taking on the established server companies.

[80Hz]

A keenly timed PR exercise by Apple, no doubt being prepared long before Trump's reelection.

 

Incentives for reshoring chip production in the US was started a couple of years ago by the Biden administration in the aftermath of disruption to chip supply chains post pandemic. A strategically smart move I believe. But there's nothing to suggest Apple will change their manufacturing strategy. I think I read that India is seen as the next high-tech manufacturing destination.

[tegs07]

16 minutes ago, Obrienp said:

Never really associated Apple with servers. I think they discontinued their last attempt. I guess AI servers are gong to be very specialised. I wonder what the business case is for taking on the established server companies.

xserve was discontinued in 2011. beautifully designed and engineered.

[Woodinblack]

21 minutes ago, 80Hz said:

I think I read that India is seen as the next high-tech manufacturing destination.

 

Yes, they started making a few iPhones there now.

[Russ]

2 hours ago, 80Hz said:

A keenly timed PR exercise by Apple, no doubt being prepared long before Trump's reelection.

 

Incentives for reshoring chip production in the US was started a couple of years ago by the Biden administration in the aftermath of disruption to chip supply chains post pandemic. A strategically smart move I believe. But there's nothing to suggest Apple will change their manufacturing strategy. I think I read that India is seen as the next high-tech manufacturing destination.

Almost all the chip fabs in the US are owned by Intel or Texas Instruments, and they're either building simple chips for home appliances, or very high-end, expensive server or mainframe-level chips or chips specifically for military applications - nothing in between.

 

Building a new chip fab plant is unbelievably expensive, especially when they're not going to be able to compete on cost with Taiwan or China. So I am expecting to see a new chip fab plant or two to show up in the US in the next few years, but they won't be making processors for computers or mobile phones. 

Edited February 24 by Russ

[80Hz]

17 minutes ago, Russ said:

So I am expecting to see a new chip fab plant or two to show up in the US in the next few years, but they won't be making processors for computers or mobile phones.

 

Sure, there's no way meaningful competition in terms of consumer good with the far east happens any time soon. But given we are told that globalisation is in retreat, and with instability everywhere, at least there's a modicum of strategic thinking happening. I wasn't trying to connect the Apple announcement with chip production, just pointing out that it was the Biden administration that began incentives for reshoring.

[Buddster]

The body language between Macron and trump in yesterday's meeting is hilarious to watch. 

Fair play to Macron. 

[ezbass]

1 minute ago, Buddster said:

The body language between Macron and trump in yesterday's meeting is hilarious to watch. 

Fair play to Macron. 

An absolute farce. Trump plainly saw a very basic, ‘80s lesson on body language and has never moved on .

[chris_b]

Also Trump behaving like an ill-mannered, petulant 5 year old child, trying to bully the Governor of Maine during a speech a couple of days ago. Pathetic behaviour from any adult, let alone the President of the USA!!!

[tegs07]

More concerning is the USA siding with Russia on a UN resolution.

I still think we are at a crossroads with seismic shifts going on with geopolitical tensions. It was bad enough with the various right wing governments taking advantage of rising inflation and growing economic inequality but with the USA becoming increasingly authoritarian and isolationist it’s even more precious.

 

John Simpson: 2025 could be year for the history books as Trump shreds global norms https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0ng4eyr3xo

[Staggering on]

In Canada on February 28 there is a plan to boycott all US owned stores and online services and that includes Costco, Walmart and Home Depot. This of course is in reaction to the tariffs that are coming.

When I started reading about this I discovered that a group called The People's Union USA has organized a boycott or economic shut down in the USA on the 28th, the first of many planned attempts to get the American population to wake up and protest some of the economic issues that are or will be hurting them. This includes major retailers and online services such as Amazon, it will be interesting to see what happens. The idea is to not buy anything on the day of the protests.

I live in a very rural area but will be in a city with a Walmart  and Best Buy and Home Depot on the 28th and I will check the parking lots at these stores, I wonder how many Canadians will actually take part in the boycott. Many stores of all types have been displaying made in Canada products more prominently lately and I know a number of people who look for this when they shop, we live in interesting and scary times.

[tegs07]

it’s time for people to wake up in general. billionaires seizing power and paying less taxes and having an uncompromising bullying and devise attitude are not going to solve anything.

 

i am not sure what the options are for europe but we are in urgent need of strong leadership and unity (but not right wing divisive ars*holes blaming others whilst filling their own pockets).

[Crusoe]

On 20/02/2025 at 18:23, TimR said:

 

 

Musk has been selling chunks of his shares in Tesla, he's moving on. 

 

He was down to 13% last time I checked. I can't believe he's attending any board meetings at the moment. 

He's probably hoping that all the government contracts for SpaceX will cover it.

[edstraker123]

I completely agree but I don't know how we'll get there. Democracy is dead. Now you vote for the candidate you least dislike on the premise that they can't be as bad as the last lot and they truly are. They get into power, do what they want with little or no accountability or challenge and we have to suffer the unbearable reporting of the media peddling a paid for agenda as if it's fact.

Edited February 25 by edstraker123

[tegs07]

2 minutes ago, edstraker123 said:

I completely agree but I don't know how we'll get there. Democracy is dead. Now you vote for the candidate you least dislike on the premise that they can't be as bad as the last lot and they truly are. They get into power, do what they want with little or no accountability or challenge and we have to suffer the unbearable reporting of the media peddling a paid for agenda.

I’m not sure that democracy is dead. It’s definitely being severely tested. There are positive signs that people are waking up, ditching social media and re-evaluating their priorities.

 

So far the extreme right has been kept  from achieving power in the UK, France and Germany and this is encouraging.

 

Trump is a threat but there are checks and balances in place to prevent him doing a full Louis 14th.

 

Time will tell.

[tauzero]

20 minutes ago, tegs07 said:

Trump is a threat but there are checks and balances in place to prevent him doing a full Louis 14th.

 

I'm not sure that there are. He considers his executive orders to be above the legislature and judiciary. This article sums it up very well.

 

I'm unsure what sanctions might be available to the Supreme Court if they rule against Trump on something and he ignores them - I've asked an American lawyer (and fellow bassist) about that. More news as it arrives.