Mexico tariffs.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

If tariffs continue as promised, look for water heater prices to go up. Good or bad, we will pass the pricing increase on to our customers.

HVACNUT

And I'm not paying $5 for a avocado.

Fred

HVACNUT said:

And I'm not paying $5 for a avocado.

You'll probably pay $5K more for that truck you need to run your business. Like it or not, fully half or more of the components in our vehicles come from Mexico or are assembled in Mexico. It's a slippery slope we've embarked upon. I thought we were smart enough to learn from past mistakes:
https://www.history.com/news/trade-war-great-depression-trump-smoot-hawley

nicholas bonham-carter

Unfortunately, we are only as smart as our weakest link.—NBC

BobC

The depression in the 30's was made much worse by tarriffs. Since then MOST learned to only threaten their use less they fall into the same hole we did back then.

There seems to be no idea so bad that it won't be repeated by those who think "This time it will be different".

Bob

Intplm.

We have always thrived with strong trade practices. We also get along well with countries we do business with. These countries are more likely to get along with each other cause we buy stuff from each other.
Like most countries it makes for good relationships.

HVACNUT

I must excuse myself, and my avocados from this thread. I have a feeling it can go sideways and "nasty" real quick.
Politics and religion ya know?

nicholas bonham-carter

I think the tariffs are the equivalent of turning up the pressure on a badly vented steam system.
Heating systems are not the only playgrounds where one can find knuckleheads.—NBC

nibs

Tariffs, when used to attempt to balance trade inequities are at least trying to achieve good, they seldom work.
Tariffs when used to create a diversion, or to punish a country are inexcusable and immoral.

hot_rod

nibs said:

Tariffs, when used to attempt to balance trade inequities are at least trying to achieve good, they seldom work.
Tariffs when used to create a diversion, or to punish a country are inexcusable and immoral.

And causing a record number of US family farms to declare bankruptcy. 97% of our farms are family farms, 88% considered small farms, under 250 K in sales, according to the Farm Bureau. They cannot weather out 1 cent a bushel corn bailout money for very long. The customers they typically export to are finding other sources to supply their needs, like Russia, Brazil and Argentina.

Zman

Forget the avocados and trucks. Where am I going to find hard workers if they seal the border.

SlamDunk

Rule Number 1: Never be a single issue voter
Rule Number 2: Be careful who you vote for

https://nyti.ms/2QkkHqh

Harold

I really wish the Founding Fathers had included a short path to "get rid of the crazy incumbent". They probably figured that they had that all resolved for rational incumbents. They could probably not even think of a mentally deranged and incompetent person of this intensity being voted into the office of president, and set on destroying the world, one step at a time.

Impeachment is not a solution. It takes too long for the other political gerbils to work it out. And, of course, the parties will fight it out bare knuckle.

And, a couple of points I do not see anyone talking about. If the orange one does get impeached, he could be going into the next election, and potentially get re-elected. Can the process of impeachment persist to a newly elected same person.

In the real situation, no one seems to talk about this what if: after an impeachment - there is a worse crazy person next in line. Possibly followed by the speaker of the house. The entire chain must be purged. Not just the loony on top.

ratio

I've long thought that a desire for political office should be an immediate disqualification for said office.

It's sad when your qualification is 'least worst'.

SlamDunk

i’m reading a book, “To End a Presidency” by Lawrence Tribe.

He points out that nearly a hundred years passed between the impeachment of Andrew Jackson, i think, and Nixon.

But before Nixon, Americans wanted to impeach Truman for firing Macarther. After Nixon, we wanted to impeach Reagan for Iran-Contra, We did impeach Clinton for obstruction of justice and now Trump.

His point is, impeachment shouldnt be to go to remedy for the House majority simply for partisan politics. There really need to be evidence of bribery, treason, or high crimes and misdemeanor.

Phil53

We just need to get the money out of politics. Both parties are corrupted by campaign cash. The result
has been widespread income inequality, a shrinking and declining middle class, low wages, and an opiode crisis. Trade deals and offshoring of good paying manufacturing jobs are partially to blame and Trump responded to it and got elected. The failure of the two establishment parties to respond, gave us Trump. Something definitely needs to be done about trade, but I think there are better ways. The Germans and Japanese manage to keep their high wage high value manufacturing jobs why can't we?

nibs

@Phil53
"The Germans and Japanese manage to keep their high wage high value manufacturing jobs why can't we?"
Because they invest in teaching and training and we do not.

HVACNUT

Covfefe 🤡

SlamDunk

In a NY Times book review of George F Wills new book "The Conservative Sensibility", the book reviewer demonstrates our country's founding fathers unease with organized religion and the reason for a separation of church and state with this quote from the book:

"But his favorite Christian is surely along the lines of Washington himself: a man who refused to kneel to pray, who left services before Communion and at whose deathbed, “no ministers were present and no prayers were uttered.” More’s the pity then that Will decides not to name and blame the members of the fundamentalist right for the damage they have done to a sensibility that is so alien to them, or to those so-called conservatives who saw evangelical certitude as an ally."

Whoever the evangelicals are they have two causes that I'm aware of 1- pack the courts with like minded judges to over turn Roe v. Wade and 2- Support Israel at all costs.

Number 2 troubles me. When I drive thru rural North Carolina (home to a large chapter of the anti Semitic KKK) and see the Israeli flag flying in front of baptist churches, it makes my skin crawl. I don't get it.

When our government can quietly commit a 40 billion dollar military aid package to Israel in 2017 but struggles with a 19 billion dollar disaster recovery package for Americans in 2019, it nauseates me.

STEAM DOCTOR

@Erin Holohan Haskell. Time to close this thread. Started off discussing anticipated price increases. Descending into politics. Heating help is not the place for these discussions.

Erin Holohan Haskell

@STEAM DOCTOR is right, guys. Let's stay on topic. Thanks.