The stable genius is neither. Who could have known ??? Well, about 90 Percent of the NYT readers, to start. SAD.
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The best way to reduce the import of cars is to produce better cars in the US. National security? What are you smoking, Mr Trump?
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Just when you think it can't get any more insane. Can't imagine all Trumpians will be happy about this.
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Why cars? Whenever Trump makes a news pronouncement just about everyone can see the ulterior motive behind (or not) his intent. The ZTE controversy seemed straightforward enough - Xi needed a token of good faith before sending his negotiating team in to watch the confusion, open arguments, and utter incompetence of the US trade "team". Then I read that the Chinese government and a Chinese bank tied to the government had just funded a Trump branded project in Australia. Being President apparently raises your billable facade: the two investors are in for $500,000,000 each. $1,000,000,000 is a lot to be grateful for I'm sure the Commerce Departnent didn't come near that spend enforcing the concent decree. ZTE, after all, violated the embargo against Iran (& possibly N. Korea) and swore (literally) they would stop, but didn't. So I guess as soon as we get those guys in China back to work, we're good?
Sorry, back to the main point. What does this car think l thing have to do with Trump? Only thing to I can think of is combined with the steel business he hates Japan? Or maybe he's trying to punish Merkel for being much, much smarter than him and clearly more stable? I just can't believe a Trump University victim is opening a new domestic car brand, although if they named a model "Ivanka"...shudder.
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What't next? Withdrawing from NORAD and NATO because alliances with Canada and Europe are a national security threat?
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Threat to national security? Definition please. Who’s the “national”? The U.S.A? American’s freedom of choice? Auto-workers jobs? Auto-dealers ability to retail what they think the market will like? Or are we just talking about Trumpism & its’ I’ll-defined notion of “national security”?
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"Automobile manufacturing has long been a source of technological innovation in the United States, ..."
Really? When was that ? In the 1950s or 1960s maybe?
All the innovations of the last 20-30 years came from Europe, particularly Germany, and Japan.
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This is insane.
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The few competent professionals remaining in the Commerce Dept. will crunch the numbers, possibly using actual data, include all the myriad variables in vehicle manufacturing, economic conditions, raw materials, marketing, taxation, transportation, and distribution. It will be a complex, multilayered production that will exceed Trump's single-page capacity for reading anything not heaping praise on him by hundreds of pages. In the end, Trump will proclaim something victorious, but is actually banal, simplistic, and wholly without credibility. Other nations with whom we have continuing trade relations will do what they must, while recognizing the feckless, incompetent fool making such declarations for what he is, and adjust their trade policies, and their public statements accordingly so as to do as little damage as possible. That economic damage will be done to us and participating trade partners is inescapable.
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Yes. This should go really well. Does anyone really think this POTUS has a coherent thought in his head?
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Trump has exposed his negotiating incompetence by trying to use the same tactic over and over and over. He threatened onerous sanctions against Russia and then didn't follow through. He threatened Syria with multiple strikes and then hit Assad with a powderpuff. He's threatened China, our NAFTA partners and Europe with tariffs and has consistently backed away because these are all ultimately losing ideas for the USA.
Using the same tactic repeatedly in the private sector may work, but when your every move is public, the act gets stale pretty quickly. Every person and every government in the world now knows he's full of bluster, but in the end a coward, a poor leader and an embarrassment to the United States.
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Oh how must Putin love the disarray among the western allies caused by Trump. Is this the quid pro quo for Trumps financier- oligarchs and their boss?
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Trump's policies will come to hurt his voters. Sweet justice?
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Maybe Sean Hannity will explain to Donald during one of their cozy nighttime chats that a motor vehicle is a complicated assembly of zillions of parts that come from a-a-all over the world, and that the materials used to make those complex parts come from all over the world, and that messing with our trade partners to feel superior is a stupid thing to do. Just ask our farmers who sell soy beans to China.
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It seems our 'dear leader' is determined to render this country a rogue nation in the world community. Who said what to him that initiated this latest "inquiry" into a possible threat to our national security from car parts, of all things......Russian interference into the 2016 election did not raise his concern or had him call for an inquiry but car parts has???
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Given the disastrous results from his Metals Tariff -- confusion and uncertainty resulting in a net negative, alienated allies, etc. -- one can only conclude that the motivation has little to do with US 'security' and lot to do with Trump's political security.
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This is idiotic. Domestic manufacturers can't make small vehicles at anywhere near the prices of the imports. Many consumers will be priced out of the market.
This has nothing to do with national security. Trump is just grasping for blue collar votes. Well, many of those blue collar voters can't afford $30,000 for a car.
Trump still pushing for isolationism. The world has moved on. He is stuck in the 19th century. This is an absolutely a ridiculous political move to rally his base in Nov.
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Please convey to President Trump that America's trade with Canada has been a WIN-WIN arrangement within NAFTA. Unlike the New York real estate market, in trade, it is possible for all parties to make more money.
Canada is America's largest trading partner. Over three billion dollars a day flows across the border in a well balanced flow of trade. Abandoning NAFTA in exchange for punitive countervailing duties - imposed by both nations, would not create jobs or increase prosperity.
Let's allow the professional negotiators to do their work. Friends don't impose duties on friends.
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The largest single supplier of the imported cars to the U.S. were from Mexico and most of them owned by American automakers and intended for the U.S. market.
Don't see how there can be much of a national security issue here, but then again don't understand the mindset of Trump
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Sorry about the grammar. Largest single supply was from Mexico with most owned by American automakers
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I thought one of the purposes of International trade was to help make the world more connected and thus more safe. It seems to me that the Administration, by focusing on using trade as a National Security issue, is going to end up with a self fulfilling prophecy in that creating trade wars with lead to a higher likelihood of actual war thus the need to focus on "more" National Security. This is not in the best interest of the US or the world.
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https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/05/22/china-lowering-.... China lowered there tariff. From 25 % to 15%. Our tariff on Chinese cars are 2.6 %. Most Japanese cars are made in us. As our a lot of German cars. China requires a 50% partnership for us companies to manufacture in China. There Are 5 Chinese car companies. Mostly electric set up in America. 100% owned by Chinese. He’s doing the right thing. But the hate for trump blinds people when he’s right.
And how many people in the US do you see driving around in Chinese cars? Domestic car production for the domestic market dwarfs imports by a huge margin. There's no National Security issue here. It's purely political to appeal to, well, people like you. It makes it seem like he's doing something when he's not.
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Does Mr. Trump not realize that the second largest Toyota plant (in terms of production) is in Kentucky?
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The only thing that poses a threat to America is Trump and cabal of minions.
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I am Canadian and I am done with the continual threats and bullying of the Trump Administration. I want my Government to withdraw from NAFTA.
We'll tighten our belts and pivot our trading relationship to Europe, Asia, and South America. If the US wants to be an island hide behind walls then so be it.
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It's too late to cut loose and run Innocent.
I'm a Canadian too. The Canadian and American economies are married to each other.
(For better or for worse)
Our national economies are so hopelessly intertwined with each other that there is no way to harm one, without harming the other.
FYI, Cutting America out of our economy would involve far more than belt tightening. It would be deciding which of your children you wanted to eat so the others could live. America would suffer almost as badly.
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Thought I've seen everything?
Now foreign cars are national security risks? Tell that to thousands of car dealers and millions of car owners!
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Yes, I need to put a bumper sticker on my little orange Toyota Prius-c that reads: "I (heart symbol) My National Security Risk."
That would be very satisfying. I can have a batch made up by Café Press and pass them out to my friends.
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Please define what constitutes a "foreign-made cars" car for purposes of this proposed tariff. It's not an easy question, as on the one hand, different components of most "American made" cars are made in all three NAFTA nations (and often in other countries as well) and with assembly of "American made" cars occurring in all three countries AND as on the other, many "foreign" car manufacturers produce components here in the U.S. and even assemblie their "foreign" cars in the U.S.
The question of what constitutes a "foreign-made car" is thus not a simple one, and if the Times is to repeat the administration's line about levying punitive tariffs on "foreign-made cars" without addressing this question, it is ill-serving its readership, just as the administration is ill-serving the nation.
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Thank you, I agree. NYT are you listening?
Cars made in America have been part of a global supply chain for years--this is not new. Why do this now? The national security law the Commerce Secretary referred to came from the height of the Cold War--why is this being done?
Another thing NYT should report on in this context is the recent decision of Ford and GM to focus on trucks and SUV's and stop making sedans. If you want a good choice in a small sedan or hatchback or small wagon, the choice will be among various "foreign-made" cars. Some might be assembled in the US, so "foreign" is in quotes.
In places in the middle of the country where one needs to cover long distances, or rough terrain, the truck will continue to be popular, but if one needs to park in a parking garage with small spaces, or if one wants a cheaper commute, the choice will soon be only among "foreign-made" small cars. I can't see buying an "American" truck, when I live in an area where small sedans rule--that's just not going to happen. So this penalizes many of the people who will be stuck in traffic this Memorial Day weekend or dealerships holding Memorial Day sales at the same time as gasoline prices are going up? Great move, Mr. President.
When did Mr. Trump last pump his own gas? Right. If he had done so anytime recently, he would see that small cars of whatever make with great fuel economy are better for national security than tariffs.
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Who cares if car prices go up as a direct result of Trump’s comments?
One would think the president would have better things to do. Like bullying the football players who take a knee in a peaceful and respectable manner. Like slamming James Comey who appears to one of the most honest(if not misguided at times) people around. Like talking strategy with Sean Hannity on a frequent basis. The list is long.
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Trump lied again I can make the best deals . Where are they you have had over a year. Instead of being hostile try some kindness.
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Everybody buy your Toyota now while you can, like people bought guns when Obama was president. American cars are still unreliable junk heaps. Of course you need parts for American cars. They are always breaking down. When I see a car abandoned on the side of the interstate it's always an American made car.
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