Trump promised voters tariffs are a panacea for the economy, but Walmart finance chief John David Rainey warned they will be inflationary for customers.
First of all walmart doesnt have to do this, they are choosing to.
Second, last time trump did tariffs prices went up in the following months, and then returned back to baseline following that.
There will be a reactionary period once they are placed. Walmart will either shift to buying more locally to maintain the most profit they can, or a competitor will undercut them.
Shifting to buying more locally can work when there are local businesses that can ramp up production easily to meet demand, it doesn’t work when there is no local production that can be easily expanded, or when there aren’t enough local resources to supply local manufacturing (for example lithium for battery production)
Also, trade has been our leverage keeping China in check, we need their stuff, and they need our money, so we get along. If suddenly we say “we don’t want your stuff anymore, and we’re not giving you our money” they’re gonna turn around and sell more to India, Russia, and Europe. They’ll be fine, but we’ll both lose our leverage and toilet our economy for at least a decade while we try to recover from shooting ourselves in the leg.
Buying local is an option to evade paying tariffs on imported goods.
But what do you do if buying local is no real option?
I’m thinking of coffee, chocolate, computers, mobile phones, game consoles, cars, etc.
First of all walmart doesnt have to do this, they are choosing to.
Second, last time trump did tariffs prices went up in the following months, and then returned back to baseline following that.
There will be a reactionary period once they are placed. Walmart will either shift to buying more locally to maintain the most profit they can, or a competitor will undercut them.
Shifting to buying more locally can work when there are local businesses that can ramp up production easily to meet demand, it doesn’t work when there is no local production that can be easily expanded, or when there aren’t enough local resources to supply local manufacturing (for example lithium for battery production)
Also, trade has been our leverage keeping China in check, we need their stuff, and they need our money, so we get along. If suddenly we say “we don’t want your stuff anymore, and we’re not giving you our money” they’re gonna turn around and sell more to India, Russia, and Europe. They’ll be fine, but we’ll both lose our leverage and toilet our economy for at least a decade while we try to recover from shooting ourselves in the leg.
I think thats awfully simplistic but if you can point me to some source that goes into the details of what you are predicting I’d be happy to read it.
Always fair to ask for sources, but what exactly do you want to see here? Or what part are you contesting?
Buying local is an option to evade paying tariffs on imported goods.
But what do you do if buying local is no real option?
I’m thinking of coffee, chocolate, computers, mobile phones, game consoles, cars, etc.
Unpopular opinion but Americans as a whole need to get used to less of nearly any nonessential good.
You gotta learn how to present ideas around here:
Make do with less.
“NOOO! FUCK YOU! AND BILLIONAIRES SUCK!”
Stop over consumption to starve the billionaires and save the planet.
“YEAH ALL YOU GREEDY PIGS! STOP!”