4 ms·

There seems to be a lot of groupthink on HN. Pretty much every comment in this thread that views tariffs remotely positively is being downvoted. I view them sli

There seems to be a lot of groupthink on HN. Pretty much every comment in this thread that views tariffs remotely positively is being downvoted. I view them slightly negatively, but protectionism (not necessarily tariffs) does help struggling or new industries develop if coupled with good export policies (see China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan for examples), so the idea that tariffs have no arguments for them seems a little farfetched to me.

psergeant 8y ago
Another word for “groupthink” is “consensus”
- kevin_thibedeau 8y ago
  Consensus implies reasoned thought. Groupthink is mob rule.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
Balero 8y ago
I agree with you that tariffs can be good for nascent industries. If these were just tariffs on things like computer chips, solar panels etc then I think there would be a valid argument. Dairy, Steel and Aluminium are not new industries, tariffs are not to help these grow and become long term viable. (disclaimer, not from USA)
glogla 8y ago
I think that's mostly because most of the comments feel like either borderline insane (like the ones claiming all regulation including environmental and consumer protection are evil bureaucracy or the one claiming stability is a bad thing for the world) or feel kinda like cheap shills ("Trump is just doing what needs to be done! So brave!"). Yours looks like the first though out one. EDIT: mostly I think people just think Trump and his regime is so incompetent and also evil, that they will automatically consider everything in a bad light. Looking at what they done so far, it's not a bad assumption, but maybe this is the one thing they don't fuck up?
- lsd5you 8y ago
  Except the trump administration isn't incompetent - by government standards, the same way he isn't utterly stupid but rather above average intelligence at the very least. This is just wishful thinking from the left. They are of course at war with the media. What I don't understand is when educated people started to side with the war mongering media. The only time they were favourable was when he attacked syria.
imgabe 8y ago
Did you read the article? The tariff is not protecting US businesses. It is encouraging as much manufacturing as possible to take place overseas, because the tariff does not apply to finished products.
- jeffreyrogers 8y ago
  Yes, I did. The article does a good job of explaining the downsides. As I explained, I'm moderately opposed to the tariffs, but protectionism does work in some cases and there are certainly arguments for tariffs. I would be interested in hearing them rather than seeing discussion of them stifled.

psergeant 8y ago

Another word for “groupthink” is “consensus”

kevin_thibedeau 8y ago
Consensus implies reasoned thought. Groupthink is mob rule.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

Balero 8y ago

I agree with you that tariffs can be good for nascent industries. If these were just tariffs on things like computer chips, solar panels etc then I think there would be a valid argument. Dairy, Steel and Aluminium are not new industries, tariffs are not to help these grow and become long term viable. (disclaimer, not from USA)

glogla 8y ago

I think that's mostly because most of the comments feel like either borderline insane (like the ones claiming all regulation including environmental and consumer protection are evil bureaucracy or the one claiming stability is a bad thing for the world) or feel kinda like cheap shills ("Trump is just doing what needs to be done! So brave!"). Yours looks like the first though out one. EDIT: mostly I think people just think Trump and his regime is so incompetent and also evil, that they will automatically consider everything in a bad light. Looking at what they done so far, it's not a bad assumption, but maybe this is the one thing they don't fuck up?

lsd5you 8y ago
Except the trump administration isn't incompetent - by government standards, the same way he isn't utterly stupid but rather above average intelligence at the very least. This is just wishful thinking from the left. They are of course at war with the media. What I don't understand is when educated people started to side with the war mongering media. The only time they were favourable was when he attacked syria.

imgabe 8y ago

Did you read the article? The tariff is not protecting US businesses. It is encouraging as much manufacturing as possible to take place overseas, because the tariff does not apply to finished products.

jeffreyrogers 8y ago
Yes, I did. The article does a good job of explaining the downsides. As I explained, I'm moderately opposed to the tariffs, but protectionism does work in some cases and there are certainly arguments for tariffs. I would be interested in hearing them rather than seeing discussion of them stifled.