patrick.net

Expensive cars are fun and a great way to meet other people. Especially the classic car guys. I’m taking the grandkids to the Ocean City Cruise in this May. An almost week long yearly event where people show off cars they’ve spent ungodly amounts of money on. I’ve seen custom restomods that people have spent $2,000,000 on. Pieces of art they are.

It takes time to build a car manufacturing plant and get it going. Not sure how much, but my guess would be at least 6 months. In meantime there will be inflation similar to one caused by Covid shortages.

Why this wasn't rolled out with a proper lead time is a mystery to me. Long-term there is no difference but short-term there will be much unnecessary inflation. And the guy ran on the promise to lower prices "on the day one", for fuck's sake.

Glock-n-Load says

I’ve seen custom restomods that people have spent $2,000,000 on. Pieces of art they are.

I know you're a car guy. I don't like any art, car or otherwise. It's a limited market. I get what you are saying, I just don't think many people care. You have to spend a lot to potentially get a decent return. Shouldn't really use it except for shows or a weekend drive. So what's the point? I'd rather sit back and invest in something else.

I have a canned ham 1963 camper I got for $1k a while back. I could fix that up and sell it for $15-20k at $5k costs into it. So I do get the hobby of cars, I was more talking about people using them as daily drivers that are $100k or more. Not logical in my world. Driving isn't fun and it's all about utility for me. The less I'm in a car the better. No need for speed or style. Just a car that will destroy another car if they're driving like idiots around you.

RWSGFY says

Why this wasn't rolled out with a proper lead time is a mystery to me. Long-term there is no difference but short-term there will be much unnecessary inflation. And the guy ran on the promise to lower prices "on the day one", for fuck's sake.

Not wrong at all. But we all knew or at least I did, this was going to be a shit storm with tariffs. Trump is ripping the bandaid off. Yes it will hurt for 10 seconds (10 months in real time) but it needed to happen.

He talked tariffs for a while while campaigning. This isn't new. It's April and the election was Nov. 2024. We also just ended Q1 2025. Investors make adjustments. I know reports aren't out, but it's future looking.

Who knows what shorts, puts, covered calls and other investing lingo is happening. I don't know it. I don't buy German cars and don't care about Germans. People are going to lose jobs. A reset needs to happen.

We can't protect other nations and then get butt fucked with tariffs on our exports. We're really the worlds bitch right now. We'll ultimately have to save the day again at some point and the world knows that. They have no leverage. We don't need imports from anyone outside of this hemisphere and we generally get along with most nations here. Does anyone actually "need" a Mercedes? Nope. Walk around your house for 10 minutes. Most the shit is trash anyway.

Nobody builds factories on just talk. Businesses need to know the specifics, which were not provided until yesterday. The bandaid analogy is stupid. Absolutely unnecessary unforced error IMO. But hey, enjoy your inflation. Apparently it's a good thing now. 🤡

RWSGFY says

Nobody builds factories on just talk. Businesses need to know the specifics, which were not provided until yesterday. The bandaid analogy is stupid. Absolutely unnecessary unforced error IMO. But hey, enjoy your inflation. Apparently it's a good thing now. 🤡

I'm biased. Inflation doesn't hurt me. I'm pissed my beer is up $4 a case over the last 5 years. But that's $4 two to three times a month. Oh my god I'm poor now. I don't buy cars. Groceries my wife is amazing at getting deals. We have a stand up freezer and grab expiration date sale meat and freeze it.

Poor people are going to have to suffer for a bit. Hell most of them are on food stamps so it doesn't matter. If you're middle class this is a big nothing burger. Housing will go down. Cars might go up. All of this is not a big deal if you have a job. The problem is everyone bitching about it doesn't have one. Sorry?

Ford seizes the day by offering Employee discount to all consumers

https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/ford-motor-company-offer-employee-pricing-all-u-s-shoppers-handshake-deal-every-american

Volvo (now owned by CHYna) announces expansion of US Domestic Car Production
https://insiderpaper.com/carmaker-volvo-to-step-up-us-production-after-tariffs/

The Founding Father's very first Congress imposed the All-American Tariff, signed into law by President George Washington!

Tariffs far higher than Trump's turned America into an industrial powerhouse, while no/low tariff South America languished undeveloped for 150 years as they imported finished goods from Europe. Every Latin American train engine was made overseas, almost from day one the USA was making it's own.

Broaden the tax base not by taxing the working poor and middle class, but foreign imports! Why tax ourselves? Charge the foreign vendors to enter the City's Market Fair!

We love our BBTs!

RWSGFY says

And? It's their internal business. Whether they have VAT or not does not change how our goods compete on their market. Tariffs do.

I just demonstrated that is not the case. Are you just trolling to avoid not admitting you are wrong or is it because you can't follow the math?

They've been using the Robotics excuse for 30 years. It's all about lowest wages.

If Robotics was the reason, the huge supply of skilled engineers and some of the cheapest electric IN THE WORLD $/kwh (esp. vs. China, Mexico, Vietnam as well as the EU) would mean MOAR, not less, US Factories.

SharkyP says

Actually Jaguar (I’ve owned several) and Landrover are now owned by Tata Motors, based in India.

Yes, and Rolls Royce is owned by BMW. But both are still built in Britain and exported to the US. Ownership of the companies does not affect the cars as prestige brands that are less sensitive to increased prices.

I love Jaguars, especially the XJS. I had one friend restore a 63 XKE and another friend restore a 67 XKE. A guy where I used to work had a later model Jaguar non-convertible with a Ford engine.

HeadSet says

I love Jaguars, especially the XJS. I had one friend restore a 63 XKE and another friend restore a 67 XKE. A guy where I used to work had a later model Jaguar non-convertible with a Ford engine.

Those were beautiful looking cars. Inevitably, an engine swap would be necessary. That XKE hood was a mile long to accommodate the 12- cylinder engine.

AmericanKulak says

They've been using the Robotics excuse for 30 years. It's all about lowest wages.

If Robotics was the reason, the huge supply of skilled engineers and some of the cheapest electric IN THE WORLD $/kwh (esp. vs. China, Mexico, Vietnam as well as the EU) would mean MOAR, not less, US Factories.

Yup.

Oh, it's going to happen. Is happening. But this whole globalization thing was about fucking over American workers for cheaper foreign workers, not robots.

So 900 Chrysler workers just lost their jobs. Why? Because nobody can built a plant missing from the supply chain in one day. You need 5-6-7. Were the tariffs implemented with a reasonable lead time these people would still be employed during the transition period. But hey, their discomfort means it's working, right? Where did I hear that?... "Your Bells palsy means vaccine is working", that's where.

RWSGFY says

So 900 Chrysler workers just lost their jobs.

In Canada, right?

HeadSet says

RWSGFY says

So 900 Chrysler workers just lost their jobs.

In Canada, right?

Yep, in Canada. It's part of their 4500 reduction in personnel throughout the Stellantis. - Mostly was going on before tariffs.

HeadSet says

RWSGFY says

So 900 Chrysler workers just lost their jobs.

In Canada, right?

Only for somebody as bad at geography as "richwicks". For the rest of us the affected plants - Warren Stamping and Sterling Stamping plants (Michigan), Indiana Transmission Plant, Kokomo Transmission Plant and Kokomo Casting Plant (Indiana) - are in the US.

And not "before the tariffs":

Stellantis has said it is temporarily laying off 900 workers across five U.S. facilities following the announcement of sweeping tariffs from President Donald Trump, Reuters reported.

OK, explain this one:

“Trump’s decision to put a 32 percent tariff on Switzerland stunned politicians and business leaders in the Alpine country. Switzerland has an open trade policy and recently abolished all industrial tariffs, including on goods from the United States, which is also its largest export market.”

What tariff should Switzerland lower to avoid this "reciprocal" tariff? They have nothing to lower anymore, it's literally 0%. Shall they pay the US importers now?

RWSGFY says

OK, explain this one:

“Trump’s decision to put a 32 percent tariff on Switzerland stunned politicians and business leaders in the Alpine country. Switzerland has an open trade policy and recently abolished all industrial tariffs, including on goods from the United States, which is also its largest export market.”

What tariff should Switzerland lower to avoid this "reciprocal" tariff? They have nothing to lower anymore, it's literally 0%. Shall they pay the US importers now?

It's the biggest friggin' currency manipulator in the entire world.

RWSGFY says

OK, explain this one:

“Trump’s decision to put a 32 percent tariff on Switzerland stunned politicians and business leaders in the Alpine country. Switzerland has an open trade policy and recently abolished all industrial tariffs, including on goods from the United States, which is also its largest export market.”

What tariff should Switzerland lower to avoid this "reciprocal" tariff? They have nothing to lower anymore, it's literally 0%. Shall they pay the US importers now?

It seemed the 10% tariff on countries like Australia were arbitrary as the USA has a trade surplus not deficit with them.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c705z2e8wxzo

.

AD says

It seemed the 10% tariff on countries like Australia were arbitrary as the USA has a trade surplus not deficit with them.

Yep, the US sold the Ozzies a handful of attack submarines. They are kinda expensive, but it distorts regular trade reporting.

AmericanKulak says

They've been using the Robotics excuse for 30 years. It's all about lowest wages.

If Robotics was the reason, the huge supply of skilled engineers and some of the cheapest electric IN THE WORLD $/kwh (esp. vs. China, Mexico, Vietnam as well as the EU) would mean MOAR, not less, US Factories.

From what I've researched making basic socks is vastly an automated manufacturing process. https://www.meetsocks.com/socks-manufacturing-process.html#:~:text=4.,is%20the%202nd%20inline%2Dinspection.

There are other factors like "state owned industries" or heavily subsidized industries which is prevalent in Communist China.

Also federal-to-town government regulations like OSHA and local zoning are another factor as well as supply chain challenges.

.

AD says

Also federal-to-town government regulations like OSHA and local zoning are another factor as well as supply chain challenges.

... And the EPA has been on a warpath against American manufacturing to such an extent that a reasonable person would assume it is run by the CCP.

RWSGFY says

So 900 Chrysler workers just lost their jobs. Why?

Stellantis has been having Libertarded Girlboss management problems for years, massive unsold inventory, 70% drop in profits and this was going on since Q1 2024. They just promoted a flailing failing girlboss of underperforming divisions to CEO last December.

Cars (esp overpriced trucks) have been piling up at Dealerships for well over a year now. Also big quality control problems at several plants.

The same retards who celebrate Luigi, burning Teslas, and want a carbon tax are the same people moaning about tariffs.

How dare they put a tariff on the country of Hitler's bank (Bank of International Settlements). Just because the Swiss Octagon is the mother of all plots against the world? What soreheads.RWSGFY says

OK, explain this one:

“Trump’s decision to put a 32 percent tariff on Switzerland stunned politicians and business leaders in the Alpine country. Switzerland has an open trade policy and recently abolished all industrial tariffs, including on goods from the United States, which is also its largest export market.”

What tariff should Switzerland lower to avoid this "reciprocal" tariff? They have nothing to lower anymore, it's literally 0%. Shall they pay the US importers now?

Wish we had X back in the 90s...

The bullshit Dems are pushing now..

WookieMan says

Not wrong at all. But we all knew or at least I did, this was going to be a shit storm with tariffs. Trump is ripping the bandaid off. Yes it will hurt for 10 seconds (10 months in real time) but it needed to happen.

I agree. Trump had to rip the bandaid off as early as possible because of mid-terms. The longer he drags this out, the less time the economy can recover and will negatively impact the next election.

Aaaand it's already challenged in court:

NCLA Sues to Stop Trump Admin. from Imposing Emergency Tariffs That Congress Never Authorized

Washington, DC (April 3, 2025) – Today, the New Civil Liberties Alliance filed the first Complaint challenging President Donald Trump’s unlawful attempt to require Americans to pay a heavy tariff on all products they import from China. President Trump imposed the tariff by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). However, this statute authorizes specific emergency actions like imposing sanctions or freezing assets to protect the United States from foreign threats. It does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. In its nearly 50-year history, no other president—including President Trump in his first term—has ever tried to use the IEEPA to impose tariffs. NCLA’s lawsuit does not quibble with President Trump’s declaration of an opioid-related emergency, but it does take issue with his decision to impose tariffs in response, without legal authority to do so.

...

Under art. 1, § 8 of the Constitution, Congress has sole authority to control tariffs, which it has done by passing detailed tariff statutes. The President cannot bypass those statutes by invoking “emergency” authority in another statute that does not mention tariffs. His attempt to use the IEEPA this way not only violates the law as written, but it also invites application of the Supreme Court’s Major Questions Doctrine, which tells courts not to discern policies of “vast economic and political significance” in a law without explicit congressional authorization. If the IEEPA were held to permit this executive order, then the statute would run afoul of the nondelegation doctrine because it lacks an “intelligible principle” to limit or guide the president’s discretion in imposing tariffs. NCLA is joined by Bryan Gowdy of Creed & Gowdy, P.A. as local counsel in this important case.

https://nclalegal.org/press_release/ncla-sues-to-stop-trump-admin-from-imposing-emergency-tariffs-that-congress-never-authorized/

Democrats are butt hurt because they will have to buy American made products now.

Booger says

will have to buy American made products now.

Why is that?

RWSGFY says

Booger says

will have to buy American made products now.

Why is that?

I just think a lot of Americans will slow or stop non essential consumption. I know I am. Groceries and maybe a meal out occasionally. Any big purchases are on hold. The prices will come down.

Opposite of what most think, but margins on a lot of products are higher sold in America than most understand. Foreign countries will drop their tariffs and we drop them on our end and the prices slowly fall. Lower interest rates follow as inflation stops. It's just going to take a year. Might be a hot mess for a while.

WookieMan says

RWSGFY says

Booger says

will have to buy American made products now.

Why is that?

I just think a lot of Americans will slow or stop non essential consumption. I know I am. Groceries and maybe a meal out occasionally. Any big purchases are on hold. The prices will come down.

Opposite of what most think, but margins on a lot of products are higher sold in America than most understand. Foreign countries will drop their tariffs and we drop them on our end and the prices slowly fall. Lower interest rates follow as inflation stops. It's just going to take a year. Might be a hot mess for a while.

Never heard this beautiful argument during the years of coof-induced inflation. Everybody was just screaming "MAKE IT STOP" on top of their lungs. 🤡

We even have a special thread where this was on full display. Suddenly inflation is a nothingburger. 🤡

And what happens in a consumer-driven economy when consumers put consumption on hold? Stagnation.

Homework: if one to combine words stagnation and inflation, what word would it be?

WookieMan says

RWSGFY says

Booger says

will have to buy American made products now.

Why is that?

I just think a lot of Americans will slow or stop non essential consumption. I know I am. Groceries and maybe a meal out occasionally. Any big purchases are on hold. The prices will come down.

Opposite of what most think, but margins on a lot of products are higher sold in America than most understand. Foreign countries will drop their tariffs and we drop them on our end and the prices slowly fall. Lower interest rates follow as inflation stops. It's just going to take a year. Might be a hot mess for a while.

This ^^^

And do you honestly think Nike, etc. is passing the full cost savings from using near slave labor in Myanmar to us American consumers, as the Great Globalist Bullshit industry is on full gear trying to con us into believing?

No. Their fear is only that they will have to cut their price so that we will, thanks to the tariffs.

People who are truly intelligent know when they were wrong about something. Usually when smart people are wrong, it’s because they have flawed assumptions.

I was once a staunch advocate of the system we called “free trade.” (Even though it was really not free trade, so for purposes of this post I’ll call the restrictive reality “globalist free trade.") My support for globalist free trade was based on the following four assumptions:

1. Globalist free trade will result in fair trade policies honored by all nations.

2. Countries like China, Myanmar and Vietnam will abandon their tyrannical governments and oppressive social conventions once globalist free trade is in place, and will join the world of free, peaceful, democratic societies.

3. Globalist free trade will make unskilled workers in poor countries into a robust middle class.

4. US manufacturing jobs will leave, but all American citizens will then have robust opportunities in the knowledge economy that will raise the standards of living for all.

These four assumptions underpinned all support for globalist free trade.

All four of these assumptions were badly, badly wrong. They were wildly off the mark.

Today, our intelligentsia are unable to do what I did (admit my assumptions were wrong) and instead cling to the same Chamber of Commerce 1990s rhetoric that brought us to this hellscape.

The mark of true intelligence is the ability to admit you were wrong. Our self-appointed “elites” are showing us in the tariffs argument just how unintelligent they actually are.

https://x.com/CynicalPublius/status/1908597559402307916

Analysis by a specialist in the field of defence economics:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nVZ1lcw2bVU&t=11s