Hacker News Reader

Comment by oceanplexian | Hacker News Reader

Please explain why tariffs a "good thing" to protect a French winery but a "Bad thing" when it is used to protect an American worker.

Everyone loves the EU and Canada and their tariffs. In Canada for example American poultry and dairy have as much as 200-500% tariffs. Usually it is seen as a big win to prevent undercutting the working class with cheap foreign labor. But as soon as it has any association with Trump all of a sudden the Progressives forget everything they believe in and turn into laissez faire libertarian capitalists.

View on HN

> In Canada for example American poultry and dairy have as much as 200-500% tariffs.

In the US the dairy industry is supported through subsidies. In Canada the dairy industry is supported through supply management.

If the US would be willing to stop 'artificially' supporting their farmers (and allowing some to go bankrupt) then perhaps Canada would be willing to stop 'artificially' supporting theirs. Otherwise it's a tom-ay-to/tom-ah-to stand-off.

Who is "Everyone"? EU is trying in various ways to reduce tariffs, like (biggest example I know): Mercosur, to quote "both the EU and Mercosur will gradually reduce import duties on 91–92% of exports" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EU%E2%80%93Mercosur_Partnershi...).

Of course European farmers complain (they will get competition and potentially lower quality products), so yes, some people like the current tariffs.

Behind every tariff there will be an interest group. If you are producing X in a country and there is an import tariff on X you are happy. If you are buying X you are not happy.

There can be strategic industries that you want to encourage, but the issue is if tariffs are applied with a plan or not. Opinions might differ on this one but history will tell.

I'd love it if chicken breast in Canada was cheaper. I think maybe there need to be some controls or regulation so meat coming from the US isn't lower quality than what we currently have but if the price went down i wouldn't complain

It's breaking EXISTING free trade deals that's angering people. And also using them as geopolitical cudgels against allies. Every country has protectionist measures in various sectors, trade deals are decades-long work to chip away at them in a way that's agreeable to everyone involved.

Liberals and progressives don't agree on most things related to (free) trade, but agree on not "bullying" allies for no reason and little profit.

> but agree on not "bullying" allies for no reason and little profit.

This is what confuses me most about Trumps tactics. These are longtime friends and allies who would’ve gladly worked together to try to improve any perceived imbalances.

I cannot fathom treating a friend this way. It makes no sense to me and is destructive.

It’s not logical. He is a malignant narcissist and a sociopath. A very sick man.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com