"For the most part, I am okay with Trump's tariff policies. But the Brazil tariff is crap. Get rid of it. I am sorry they are having some internal issues down there, but please, please - don't take it out on American coffee drinkers. And the meat issue? That is one of the items which is at the center of the unaffordability issue. The Dems are going to use this like a cudgel in the upcoming midterms."
Okay, all coffee drinkers out there. Tell me you have not noticed the HUGE runup in coffee prices as of late. As much as I would love to hang this around Biden's neck, that would not be correct. This is a recent phenomenon that happed last summer. Why? Punishment for Brazil. We hung an additional 50% tariffs on the stuff we get from them. Only one problem - the consumers are getting stick with the bill. Right now, coffee is about five minutes away from being totally unaffordable.
This is one tariff which I strongly disagree with. Not just because I am an addicted coffee drinker and can feel the pain of the new price of coffee. It is for the reason the tariff was imposed. All because of an internal squabble in Brazil. Seems President Trump had a good relationship with the former president of Brazil (Jair Bolsonaro). The new president (who Trump does not care for), is putting Bolsonaro on trial for an alleged coup attempt. That ticked off Trump so much, he decided to punish Brazil with the tariff. The only problem is this - it is the American coffee drinkers who are feeling the pain.
The price of meat is a different issue. This might be some unfair collusion going on between the four huge meat processors in our country. I know some of the meat prices has to do with cattle shortages, but some of the increase is very suspicious. Buying more meat from Argentina to help reduce the price of beef with only hurt the legit cattle producers. Meanwhile, even the lower grade ground beef is unaffordable to many low-income families. This is not a tariff issue - this is an issue which could be fixed internally.
As an aside, if you need a meat which is cheap for Thanksgiving, Walmart is selling name brand turkeys for as little as 83 cents a pound. Compared to buying anything beef, that is a steal. We picked up a turkey yesterday for how much a quarter pounder meal cost these days at McDonalds.
For the most part, I am okay with Trump's tariff policies. But the Brazil tariff is crap. Get rid of it. I am sorry they are having some internal issues down there, but please, please - don't take it out on American coffee drinkers. And the meat issue? That is one of the items which is at the center of the unaffordability issue. The Dems are going to use this like a cudgel in the upcoming midterms.
How big is this affordability issue right now? It is huge. Especially if it appears we are doing nothing to fix it. Many things with our economy are going better - much better. But the proof still lies in the pudding. In other words, if consumers cannot feel it, all the good things Trump is doing will not matter. Fix the affordability issue President Trump and fix it before it becomes an election issue.
No comments:
Post a Comment