Border Tax & Woodworking Equipment

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The best equipment I have in my shop was made outside America.

I have a Butfering Widebelt sander, an Altendorf saw & a Martin Jointer all made in Germany. I think all my Festo tools were made in Germany too. My planer was made in Italy. I have a couple of SCM shapers that were made in Italy too. I have a lot of Canon camera equipment that was made in Japan.

The Apple Computer I am writing this post on was made in China.

Where are we going to get woodworking equipment from when the cost goes up 30%?

Are we hoping that Black & Decker will get back in the game? How long do you think it will take to tool up domestic manufacturers to produce these vital pieces of equipment? How much longer until we have confidence in their quality & longevity?

james e mcgrew

Member

I am with you,, Exports of Beef from the US far equal or outsupport the US Consumption. that industry is really thinking hard

Economics 101

Are you being serious or sarcastic?

US beef production in 2015 was about 23.7 billion pounds.

US exports were about 2.3 billion pounds. Call it 10%. We ate the other 90%. And then some, as we also imported 3.4 billion pounds.

That doesn't comport with "Exports of Beef from the US far equal or outsupport (sic) the US Consumption." (which seems to imply that we export more beef than we eat.)

If you were being sarcastic, I salute you. If not, I guess you support Tim's idea that Trump = Hitler, etc., etc. The usual liberal stuff.

But, that's old and tired. Bush was Hitler. McCain was Hitler. Romney was Hitler. That awful guy Trump won in spite of media lies and distortions because his message resonated. How could that possibly happen?

I know. Let's blame the Russkies! Make something up. Leak it. Repeat the lie enough times and people will buy it. Yeah, that's the ticket.

And now, when I coax 15%/year out of my investments in major US corporations, I come to find out that I'm a welfare queen.

A veritable welfare leech!

Who knew?

I'm just gonna sit back and watch heads explode due to an overload of cognitive dissonance.

cabmaker

Econ,

Why did General Flynn have to go after 24 days as National Security Advisor?

cabmaker

Wasn't it something to do with working with the Russians?

cabmaker

Unless maybe you have a different theory.

Let's hear it!

cabmaker

Econ,

You should try reading the Wall Street Journal sometime to see what other brilliant business genius's like yourself think about the Trumpkin's theory of economics.

Maybe you've heard of it?
It's that liberal fake news organization your man keeps maligning.

Pat Gilbert

Economics 101

Where have you been?

I don't have any cognitive dissonance.

Where would ADM be without ethanol subsidies, where would Warren Buffet be if not for Obama cancelling the Keystone Pipeline, where would all of the defense contractors be without the war charade?

Profits from investors cannot be conflated with corporate welfare or crony capitalism.
Investment is the very engine of the economy.

OTOH I have to look at someone like Hank Paulson with a jaundice eye with his 700 million in wealth being dubious.

cabmaker

Econ 101,

Still waiting to hear from you about why General Flynn was terminated as National Security Advisor.

Cognitive dissonance?

Economics 101

Tim -

You will wait forever as I'm sure you read all about the minor Flynn kerfuffle, just as I did and no elaboration from me will change your mind.

I've fired many people (in "at will" states) over the years and never thought about it again after the carefully considered decision was made.

Trump will no doubt fire many people in the future for good, or even no reason at all considering that we're talking about people who serve at his pleasure. Maybe he'll even get around to dismantling the politicized civil service.

Maybe after he signs an Executive Order removing the basis for the existence of federal government employee unions. Even FDR considered them an abomination. And they are.

I'm no "Trumpkin" as you put it. I'm good with cutting taxes, cutting regulations and cutting government in general at all levels.

Can't happen soon enough and I think it all will happen over the next couple of years.

Tariffs? Bad idea. Very bad idea. But notice that no tariff has yet been seriously proposed -- that is, put into actual proposed legislative language.

I think he's trolling you and your ilk. He'll use the threat here and there in negotiations, but has no intention of actually using tariffs. He knows that they're not a good idea. Maybe in some minor, symbolic case. In any case, no tariff of any consequence is likely to ever be enacted.

BTW, speaking of the WSJ, have I heard of it?

Why, yes, I have. I first talked my old man into a subscription in 1965. It was something like $11 a year (about 4.4 cents a copy, delivered by US mail! Ah, the good old days.) and I was 13 years old. I've been trading and investing ever since.

Somehow, ignorant doofus, Hitlerian-following conservative and corporate welfare queen (!) that I am, I managed to retire 37 years ago at age 28.

There were days in 1980 when I made more than a million dollars and days when I lost more than a million, but since there were many more of the former than the latter it all worked out.

I've owned various businesses, some with 20-30 employees, which is why I can sometimes make a germane comment here, even though I'm only an amateur woodworker.

I dumped my WSJ subscription after Bob Bartley (editor for 30 years) retired. The "news" pages were always corrupted by a liberal slant and the editorial pages then went right into the toilet. Bye, bye WSJ.

So, no, I have no need of any advice regarding the WSJ

Economics 101

Pat, I've been around, just somewhat rarely.

Bob Dole (KS-R) used to be known as the Senator from ADM. Ethanol subsidies should be abolished. Stupid idea.

All corporate subsidies should be abolished, they're all stupid ideas. Ex-Im Bank, for instance. Stand or fall on your own. I'm sure you'll probably agree..

Buffett couldn't care less about Keystone, a few more or less rail tanker cars of oil isn't even a pimple on railroad-owning Berkshire's $400 billion butt.

Unfortunately, there is no "war charade," we're at war even if we don't think so or like it, and even if we don't wage it well.

We have been since 1979 -- the 444 day Iran hostage thing, instantly solved by the election of Reagan. That now 38 years ago, but the Iranians have never let up, world-wide.

Not to mention the problems Jefferson had on the shores of Tripoli around 1801. Ask any Marine.

What's the saying? "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you." We can ignore it, but it isn't going to go away because we wish it would.

I don't own any defense contractor stocks, they're too volatile depending on who gets what particular contract, but they'll do fine without me.

cabmaker

Econ 101,

You sound like KellyAnne Conway.
(I miss her. She could bob & weave like Muhammed Ali).

You wrote: "I've fired many people (in "at will" states) over the years and never thought about it again after the carefully considered decision was made.

Trump will no doubt fire many people in the future for good, or even no reason at all considering that we're talking about people who serve at his pleasure. Maybe he'll even get around to dismantling the politicized civil service."

All of that ramble has nothing at all to do with why Trump fired General Flynn. It was not just a "minor kerfluffle" as you encountered in your many successful businesses.

General Flynn was pushed out of office for illegal contacts with the Russians.

The reasons behind Flynn's departure were far cry from someone who maybe "sanded through the veneer" at on of your many businesses.

We will, eventually, learn the extent of the Trump campaign connection with Russia. This investigation is not going to go away just because Trump tweets that let CNN or the NYT are fake news.

Then, of course, there is the issue of competency.

Did they even vet the man they selected for top position as National Security Advisor?

Or were they completely familiar with who they are doing business with?

But the competency issues just go on & on & on. What started out as a lark to promote the Trump brand took on a life of its own and a lot of people who are rightfully angry were perfectly willing to overlook even their own self interest for anything that will give them some hope to hang on to.

These people are capable of thinking jobs don't depend on global markets and global supply chains. (Even Trump has his signature red neckties made in China.)

And then you got the wall to make us all "safe."

If you want to keep bad hombres out then legalize drugs and kill their cash flow. We can't, however, do that because drug interdiction is just as much of an industry as drug selling is. If you take away the crime you take away the revenue for private prisons. The reason we haven't won the war on drugs and it's because there's just too much money in it for all sides involved.

Trump should have stayed with Celebrity Apprentice and we should have some adults in the white house rather than President Bannon.

Economics 101

"Flynn was pushed out of office for illegal contacts with the Russians."

Too bad that's only fevered speculation. But, go ahead, beat that horse to death for years.

Here's a thought. How about the obvious reason? Flynn wasn't honest with Pence, resulting in inaccurate public statements.

Trump regards that egregious breach of trust personally.Trump fires Flynn. The end.

A former US flag officer can't be completely honest with a direct superior?

Ah, nope, that ain't gonna work at all. I'd have fired him, too. For less, in a much less important enterprise.

pat gilbert

And that is a reason to vote for Trump, he has had a lot of practice choosing personnel and getting rid of those who were not the best for the job.

cabmaker

There is a thing called vetting.
People who have hired and fired a lot of people should know about this.

The position of NATIONAL SECURITY advisor is a whole lot different than hiring someone to work in your assembly department or in your real estate company.

This would be one of those positions that they needed professionals to assist with the vetting. Your son-in-law is a great kid but probably not the go-to guy for a job like this.

Much the same way Steve Bannon probably shouldn't be in charge of dictating trade policy.

Sorry Econ. This dead horse isn't going to be going away soon. We still have a free press.

cabmaker

On the plus side the Trump people are considering Jon Huntsman for a role in the State Dept. This is a good choice. Huntsman should have been the Republican standard bearer last time around.

There are a lot of good people getting iced out of the jobs because the Donald's thin skin. He needs to collect around him people who are willing to disagree. It's not going to work out well if the only people that can be considered must first pass the Breitbart litmus test.

The Steve Miller kid who said: "The President will not be questioned" is a good example of who we don't want in the loop.

Economics 101

"There is a thing called vetting."

Yup, there sure is.

Here's how "vetting" of the National Security Adviser worked in the previous administration.

General Jim Jones NSA 1-20-09 – 10-8-10

An absolutely, totally outstanding choice. 4 star Marine general. 40 years of military experience. Commander of U.S. Euro Command. Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Eisenhower held this position in slightly testier times. First Marine general to serve as both.

If the position required Senate confirmation, he would have been approved 100-0.

Is that a guy you would be comfortable with as National Security Adviser?

I think so. No matter how feckless the president may be.

Unfortunately, he only lasted a year and a half. My opinion is that he was the only available semi-sort-of Democrat with impeccable credentials that dear leader could recruit. But, just for a while, because he wasn't really serious about national security or who was NSA, and Jones figured that out and quietly left.

Thomas Donilon, NSA 10-8-10 – 6-30-13

Total, pure party hack. Lawyer. No experience worth mentioning. A total joke of an NSA. Look him up and compare him to General Jones.

Well, wait, there is this one item from Wiki -- "Exec VP for Law/Policy at Fannie Mae, (...) as a registered lobbyist from 1999 through 2005."

There you go. Says it all. A Fannie lobbyist for the mortgage meltdown. He was there busy lobbying through all of the most important years building up to the meltdown. Great. I'll guess he was big buds with Barney Frank.

If he needed to be confirmed, there was no way that this guy would have gotten more than 30 votes. Dear leader didn't care because he didn't need confirmation and he was beyond trying to impress anyone with credentialed advisors. So, appoint a hack who hangs around for 2.5 years.

Susan Rice NSA 7-1-13 – 1-20-17

An even worse party hack than Donilon. Long-time Clinton flunky in the State Department. Wanted to be SoS but withdrew when she realized that her serial lies about Benghazi would surface, so scratch that.

Once again, dear leader didn't care because he didn't need confirmation and he was way, way beyond even thinking of trying to impress anyone with credentialed advisors. Give her the job, who cares?

Anyone will do when you don't really care about national security. Just leave it to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. If we're under attack, they'll let me know. Call me on the first tee, I got 18 to play.

Now, Flynn may have been a bit of a loose cannon, but I'd take him over the totally useless Donilon or Rice in a heartbeat.

General McMaster is the rough equivalent of General Jones, they have different strengths and talents, but I'd be happy with either of them.

We're privileged that General McMaster agreed to serve. And away we go with a great NSA appointment and another great Trump choice.

I'm no blind Trump follower. As long as he sticks to everything he promised and stays away from any tariff/protectionist baloney, I'm good.

So far, he's been far better than I expected, both in terms of appointments and such action as he's been able to take on his own.

Pat Gilbert

You might add in Neil Gorsuch compared to either of dear leaders appointments.

Pat Gilbert

Tim

You should read this, not that you will...

This splains some stuff

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Steve Guenzel