7 ms·

Tariffs make it harder to justify US investments, automakers and suppliers warn

72 points by rntn 1y ago

moomin 1y ago
It appears auto news has archive.ph defeating tech. (This comment used to contain a link, but the link was useless.)
loloquwowndueo 1y ago
Surprised Pikachu - you mean to tell me that tariffs didn’t result in manufacturers happily deciding to ramp up domestic production and creating more jobs for Americans in need? Who’d have thunk.
- hypeatei 1y ago
  Unpredictable tariffs specifically. Even if one disagrees with tariffs, you can still roll them out in a predictable and legal manner. Cooking up a national emergency then changing them arbitrarily is a recipe for disaster. Legally they don't seem to be valid either (how does an emergency require tariffing the entire world?), but of course the federal courts are letting them stay in place while it works its way up to SCOTUS.
  - loloquwowndueo 1y ago
    Well said. Thanks for the clear distinction!
- mindslight 1y ago
  The only type of "jobs" Trump is interested in are the ones he used to get on Epstein's island.
  - xrd 1y ago
    It's a rarity these days that I chuckle when I read HN, but I just did. Lol.
- general1465 1y ago
  If tariffs would be aimed for final goods, while inputs remained untariffed, then maybe it could work. But the moment when Trump started issuing blanket 20-30-60-100% tariffs, the whole plan essentially imploded.
- Freedom2 1y ago
  Quite a few HackersNews commenters thought so.
  - add-sub-mul-div 1y ago
    You made me think of the quote: "Elizabeth Holmes didn't 'fool all of America'. She fooled techbros and venture capitalists which is considerably easier."
    - unmole 1y ago
      Is Henry Kissinger a tech bro? Is the New Yorker a VC publication?
mullingitover 1y ago
The fact that a hair-thin majority has managed to seize an inordinate amount of power, thwart all checks and balances, and enact a slow-moving nationwide pogrom should be enough to make the US a pariah for any foreign investment. There's no assurance that the US won't just outright steal all foreign capital in the country next week.
- softwaredoug 1y ago
  I worry a degree of cronyism can go on for a while until there's a true consequence to these policies. There is a lot of wealth and trade to divide the spoils of between the billionaires and the administration.
  - mullingitover 1y ago
    If the current structure stands, where steel imports are tariffed at 50% but Mexican/Canadian autos have no tariffs, and Japanese imports are only tariffed at 15%, the consequence will be the firing of every auto manufacturing worker the US and the shutdown of every auto factory. The consequences will be cruel and fair. The only reason it is not already happening is because of the TACO phenomenon and the possibility that the courts will intercede to stop the wanton abuse of emergency tariff powers.
- walls 1y ago
  > The fact that a hair-thin majority has managed to seize an inordinate amount of power... This mindset is counterproductive. If you haven't recognized that over 2/3 of the country is OK with what's going on, it's time to face the music.
  - add-sub-mul-div 1y ago
    The presidential approval rating has been underwater since March.
    - mbfg 1y ago
      i doubt it matters anymore what the populous thinks. Last election was your last real chance to vote.
softwaredoug 1y ago
I hate to say it, but it seems an utter economic collapse would be the best way out of the administrations dumb positions on trade and immigration? Otherwise, like a zombie, these dumb policies will come back over and over any time the GOP is in power until we remember how foolish they are.
- mindslight 1y ago
  The problem is that it would just be an excuse to turn on the money printer as he's already itching to do. And then it's not like this wannabe autocrat is going to sit idly by through the collapse and hyperinflation. Also one of Trump's master skills is slithering out of blame. He should have been a one term president after his abjectly terrible anti-leadership through Covid, yet he was able to parlay the chaos he mostly caused himself into an excuse of why he was unable to execute on all his outlandish and contradictory promises.
  - rstuart4133 1y ago
    > The problem is that it would just be an excuse to turn on the money printer as he's already itching to do. I don't think the OP would consider that a problem, it fact it's probably one the things he's leaning on to get his hoped for utter economic collapse. I can't see it happening any other way. As for Trump slithering out if it, if there is one thing I do trust about the average US voter, it's the connection between their hip pocket and their vote. It's not a sophisticated or thoughtful connection mind you. If the hip pocket is hurting they vote for the other mob. It's what got Trump elected in 2025.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]

72 points by rntn 1y ago

It appears auto news has archive.ph defeating tech. (This comment used to contain a link, but the link was useless.)

Surprised Pikachu - you mean to tell me that tariffs didn’t result in manufacturers happily deciding to ramp up domestic production and creating more jobs for Americans in need? Who’d have thunk.

hypeatei 1y ago
Unpredictable tariffs specifically. Even if one disagrees with tariffs, you can still roll them out in a predictable and legal manner. Cooking up a national emergency then changing them arbitrarily is a recipe for disaster. Legally they don't seem to be valid either (how does an emergency require tariffing the entire world?), but of course the federal courts are letting them stay in place while it works its way up to SCOTUS.
- loloquwowndueo 1y ago
  Well said. Thanks for the clear distinction!
mindslight 1y ago
The only type of "jobs" Trump is interested in are the ones he used to get on Epstein's island.
- xrd 1y ago
  It's a rarity these days that I chuckle when I read HN, but I just did. Lol.
general1465 1y ago
If tariffs would be aimed for final goods, while inputs remained untariffed, then maybe it could work. But the moment when Trump started issuing blanket 20-30-60-100% tariffs, the whole plan essentially imploded.
Freedom2 1y ago
Quite a few HackersNews commenters thought so.
- add-sub-mul-div 1y ago
  You made me think of the quote: "Elizabeth Holmes didn't 'fool all of America'. She fooled techbros and venture capitalists which is considerably easier."
  - unmole 1y ago
    Is Henry Kissinger a tech bro? Is the New Yorker a VC publication?

mullingitover 1y ago

The fact that a hair-thin majority has managed to seize an inordinate amount of power, thwart all checks and balances, and enact a slow-moving nationwide pogrom should be enough to make the US a pariah for any foreign investment. There's no assurance that the US won't just outright steal all foreign capital in the country next week.

softwaredoug 1y ago
I worry a degree of cronyism can go on for a while until there's a true consequence to these policies. There is a lot of wealth and trade to divide the spoils of between the billionaires and the administration.
- mullingitover 1y ago
  If the current structure stands, where steel imports are tariffed at 50% but Mexican/Canadian autos have no tariffs, and Japanese imports are only tariffed at 15%, the consequence will be the firing of every auto manufacturing worker the US and the shutdown of every auto factory. The consequences will be cruel and fair. The only reason it is not already happening is because of the TACO phenomenon and the possibility that the courts will intercede to stop the wanton abuse of emergency tariff powers.
walls 1y ago
> The fact that a hair-thin majority has managed to seize an inordinate amount of power... This mindset is counterproductive. If you haven't recognized that over 2/3 of the country is OK with what's going on, it's time to face the music.
- add-sub-mul-div 1y ago
  The presidential approval rating has been underwater since March.
  - mbfg 1y ago
    i doubt it matters anymore what the populous thinks. Last election was your last real chance to vote.

softwaredoug 1y ago

I hate to say it, but it seems an utter economic collapse would be the best way out of the administrations dumb positions on trade and immigration? Otherwise, like a zombie, these dumb policies will come back over and over any time the GOP is in power until we remember how foolish they are.

mindslight 1y ago
The problem is that it would just be an excuse to turn on the money printer as he's already itching to do. And then it's not like this wannabe autocrat is going to sit idly by through the collapse and hyperinflation. Also one of Trump's master skills is slithering out of blame. He should have been a one term president after his abjectly terrible anti-leadership through Covid, yet he was able to parlay the chaos he mostly caused himself into an excuse of why he was unable to execute on all his outlandish and contradictory promises.
- rstuart4133 1y ago
  > The problem is that it would just be an excuse to turn on the money printer as he's already itching to do. I don't think the OP would consider that a problem, it fact it's probably one the things he's leaning on to get his hoped for utter economic collapse. I can't see it happening any other way. As for Trump slithering out if it, if there is one thing I do trust about the average US voter, it's the connection between their hip pocket and their vote. It's not a sophisticated or thoughtful connection mind you. If the hip pocket is hurting they vote for the other mob. It's what got Trump elected in 2025.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]