Trump on car tariffs: “I couldn’t care less if they raise prices”

Consumers will have to pay the price of the president's unnecessary trade war.

See full article...

 

[Dragonmaster Lou]

Very few American-made cars are even offered for sale in Europe. At this point it's probably just the Corvette.

The Mustang Mach E is also for sale in Europe (at least in the UK anyway), but Ford may be an exception to the rule. Ford seems to be the only legacy American car company that seems to get Europe and actually has some cars that people purchase there (other than the Mach E, there's also the Transit van, and I believe the Fiesta as well) to the point of even having European factories. Note that none of the cars I listed are behemoth pickups or SUVs as Ford knows those make absolutely no sense in Europe.

Granted, as I said, many of Ford's European market cars are made in Europe, but presumably a lot of the core engineering work on them is done in the US.

 

[Sajuuk]

Apartheid South Africa wasn’t a thing until 1948. Trying to make a connection between Emperor Norton I and Musk is kind of lazy at best and disingenuous at worst.

Are we going to pretend the Boers weren't the Boers until 1948?

 

[Dragonmaster Lou]

Perhaps if scaled taxes appropriately based on wealth, we wouldn't have this fucking issue in the first place.

Stop giving the rich hand-outs, they're already stealing from you!

You mean like in the 1950s (for all the problems society had back then, at least marginal tax rates on the rich wasn't one of them)?

You'd be surprised how many people seem to think taxes were lower in the 1950s than they are now, when in fact it was the opposite.

 

[Uragan]

Its not about the increase in price. One of his campaign promises is to bring American jobs back. Manufacturing is a large part of his constituent base. This already has companies evaluating opening factories in the US to manufacture.

Evaluating isn’t the same as actually doing. And even if they decide to build factories here, they aren’t going to open up the day after. Meanwhile people are going to pay elevated prices on goods that will still need to be imported. And there is absolutely no reason for US manufacturing to lower prices once they’ve seen that the American populace will pay those elevated costs on whatever goods are made within the US. Additionally, American labor is far more expensive than overseas labor, which is why prices are as low as they are currently. The costs to pay American workers will be also reflected in the higher price of the goods made within the US.

So yea, he doesnt care about the pricing. His long game is to make his constituents happy.

Through obfuscation and outright lies.

He brought them jobs and the American cars they buy will still be cheaper than imported cars even with tariffs on raw materials. Which then has other cascading effects.

Trump hasn’t brought anyone anything other than the highest strata of American society. Did you even read the article? Car prices are going to go up because no “American-made” vehicle is 100% made within the US’s borders.

 

[GreyAreaUK]

View: https://bsky.app/profile/carlquintanilla.bsky.social/post/3llolprdzps2m

* CHINESE STATE MEDIA: CHINA, JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA REACH A CONSENSUS THAT THREE SIDES WILL JOINTLY RESPOND TO THE U.S. TARIFFS

@reuters.com

Do you have any idea just how badly you have to piss off those three in order for them to act together against you?

 

[AusPeter]

Apartheid South Africa wasn’t a thing until 1948. Trying to make a connection between Emperor Norton I and Musk is kind of lazy at best and disingenuous at worst.

Yeah, but concentration camps were first featured in the second Boer war

 

[HiroTheProtagonist]

You mean like in the 1950s (for all the problems society had back then, at least marginal tax rates on the rich wasn't one of them)?

You'd be surprised how many people seem to think taxes were lower in the 1950s than they are now, when in fact it was the opposite.

That's because most of the people still acting like the 50s were so magical and idyllic were either children at the time and didn't pay taxes or weren't born until the 80s/90s and only listened to stories from the first group without actually paying attention in history class.

 

[Maestro4k]

Sounds like feeling is the only thing that matters, and that it supersedes facts.

Having said that, there is no way that'll change without work. Educate your friends, colleagues, and neighbours. Be the voice that shows Trump's hypocrisy and his lack of caring of real Americans.

If you sit idly by you have no right to complain about the results.

You clearly have no clue what it's like in red states here in the US. If I try to educate my neighbors about how Trump is fucking all of us over, no matter how mildly I criticize him in the process, all I'll get for my effort is my house being vandalized or burned down. All I can do is wait for him to do something that fucks them over so badly it finally breaks them out of the cult. If Musk breaks Social Security going out each month that'll probably do the trick.

In the meantime trying to do anything here is actively hazardous to my health. Since I'm disabled and vulnerable I'm not going to do it.

Then write a physical letter with no return address on it.

Then it won't even make it to the congress person's office. Letters like that are viewed as a potential threat and destroyed. You can blame the letters with anthrax in them years ago for that. Even if it did somehow get to their office they'd not bother reading it, since they'd consider it as not from one of their constituents. If you want it to actually be read (more like skimmed by a staffer) it has to have your name and address on it. And your address has to be in their district.

 

[big-ted]

The Mustang Mach E is also for sale in Europe (at least in the UK anyway), but Ford may be an exception to the rule. Ford seems to be the only legacy American car company that seems to get Europe and actually has some cars that people purchase there (other than the Mach E, there's also the Transit van, and I believe the Fiesta as well) to the point of even having European factories. Note that none of the cars I listed are behemoth pickups or SUVs as Ford knows those make absolutely no sense in Europe.

Granted, as I said, many of Ford's European market cars are made in Europe, but presumably a lot of the core engineering work on them is done in the US.

Ford no longer make or sell the Fiesta in Europe, they want you to purchase a larger more expensive EV SUV to go food shopping once a week

 

[Uragan]

Are we going to pretend the Boers weren't the Boers until 1948?

The evidence within the historical record suggests that Emperor Norton was firmly pro-civil rights.

Just because a person is born and/or raised in a specific location does not mean that they automatically align to that area’s politics.

 

[Uragan]

Yeah, but concentration camps were first featured in the second Boer war

So what does that have to do with Emperor Norton exactly?

 

[Uragan]

So you think apartheid came out of nowhere? Interesting theory.

I didn’t say that at all. Don’t put words into my mouth.

 

[ucfknight]

There is not a single "United States" made car from a major manufacturer that doesn't have at least 20% foreign-sourced parts. The Ford F150 has been the top selling vehicle in the US for 42 of the last 43 years (it was actually passed by the Toyota RAV4 in 2024). It sure is "American Made" at factories in Michigan and Missouri.... meaning its parts are screwed and welded together in the US, but 55% of those parts (by value) originate from outside of the US. With a 25% tariff on parts from outside the US, that means the parts cost for Ford F150s just went up 13.75%. Buying "American Made" or not, prices are going to go up dramatically on every single vehicle sold if these tariffs go into effect.

 

[Sajuuk]

The evidence within the historical record suggests that Emperor Norton was firmly pro-civil rights.

Just because a person is born and/or raised in a specific location does not mean that they automatically align to that area’s politics.

Of course, but your argument appeared to be that the politics of South Africa (the area, not necessarily the state) weren't racist until 1948.

edit: clarity.

 

[Demosthenes642]

His big gamble is whether it's worth hundreds of billions to completely upend the supply and manufacturing chain to build cars entirely in the US for an exclusively American market. Americans are generally only rich in terms of credit and are now isolated economically, so manufacturers would effectively be selling the depreciated cars back to themselves post-lease in the US if they went this way. It'd probably be a better idea to move everything outside the US, and then just take the 25% hit once by selling international models to America.

We'll likely see some "promises" from big foreign manufacturers of huge investments in US manufacturing and maybe laying on a new shift or line at their existing US plants in exchange for some tariff relief and giving Trump a good headline. That cycle will continue for the next few years until they feel that they know where the long term winds are blowing. Either way it's unlikely that those investments will ever materialize unless there's a clear economic case to put their manufacturing in the US. Being jerked around is a historically poor business case.

 

[What a nin-cow-poop]

Wait till you see what this will do to your insurance rates:

• More expensive parts
• Higher car repair shop rates because mechanics are extra busy with people hanging on to their old cars
• Higher car rental rates for the time your car's in the shop

Higher insurance premiums would mean more people would (illegally) drop their coverage, meaning more uninsured people on the road, which would lead to even higher premiums for those who still pay it.

And those costs will be borne by everyone throughout the economy. A company that has to pay more for vehicles and insurance is going to pass those costs on to customers. So if they use their trucks to deliver, let's say, eggs, then the price of eggs will go up.

And if a company makes a vehicle in the US using a lot of US made parts, they'll just raise their prices to be in line with equivalent imported vehicles because, hey, why not grab some extra profit.

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the world of Trumpflation!

 

[denemo]

[...]
Maybe in thirty years after we've gone through a depression, several changes of government and economies that would make Rhode Island weep things will stabilize. Some of us are hoping for a bit more nuanced future.

Like if things weren't bad enough, in 30 years the US (and the rest of the world) will most likely suffer catastrophic consequences of Climate Change.

 

[The Dark]

Apartheid South Africa wasn’t a thing until 1948. Trying to make a connection between Emperor Norton I and Musk is kind of lazy at best and disingenuous at worst.

Heck, South Africa wasn't a thing until 30 years after Norton died. It was Cape Colony. More problematic than trying to trace apartheid back to the early 19th century, though, is tying an antisemite like Musk to the Jewish Norton.

 

[thelongdarkteatimeof]

At this point it would make more sense for global companies to just abandon the US market completely.

 

[trucmat]

At this point, any action short of insurrection and probably even that seems pretty pointless and unlikely to have the slightest effect.

Agreed. It's like yelling at beach goers to stop an incoming tidal wave. For those on the beach it's hard to see the best way to survive. They know they can't stop the wave but also know if they can survive it will pass. What they find afterward is unknown.

 

[EnPeaSea]

Then write a physical letter with no return address on it.

Should I include some powdered sugar to sweeten the message?

Didn't he just buy a Tesla?

"Tesla" bought him!

 

[Dragonmaster Lou]

Ford no longer make or sell the Fiesta in Europe, they want you to purchase a larger more expensive EV SUV to go food shopping once a week

I was relying on memory, but it's been a while since I've visited Europe.

That said, Ford does have quite a few options in Europe. While they don't have the Fiesta anymore, they do have the Focus, which is probably of similar size (or only a bit bigger), as well as a bunch of other options:

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/feu/en/products.html

Actually, they have way more EVs in Europe than they do here in the States, which is a bummer. Some of them, at least at a glance, look pretty nice.

 

[ucfknight]

We'll likely see some "promises" from big foreign manufacturers of huge investments in US manufacturing and maybe laying on a new shift or line at their existing US plants in exchange for some tariff relief and giving Trump a good headline. That cycle will continue for the next few years until they feel that they know where the long term winds are blowing. Either way it's unlikely that those investments will ever materialize unless there's a clear economic case to put their manufacturing in the US. Being jerked around is a historically poor business case.

Very true. They'll make 'promises' which will likely turn out like that huge Foxconn plant Trump touted his first term. Maybe we'll even get to see him throw some dirt for a photo op.

Promise:

Reality:
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/21/fox...illion-wisconsin-project-touted-by-trump.html

 

[Numfuddle]

I was relying on memory, but it's been a while since I've visited Europe.

That said, Ford does have quite a few options in Europe. While they don't have the Fiesta anymore, they do have the Focus, which is probably of similar size (or only a bit bigger), as well as a bunch of other options:

The ICE cars have all been discontinued. Production of the Kuga, Focus and Fiesta among others ends in November of 2025 with no replacement planned.

Going forward they offer the Ranger, the Capri, the (e)Transit and the Mustang and Mach-e.

 

[jbattan]

Vote for an idiot, get an idiot.

 

[Sajuuk]

The only way to actually tax the rich (and likely reduce the need for the IRS) is to scrap the entire tax system and only have a sales tax. If you tax anything other than their consumption of an end product, the cost is going to whoever gets the end product.

You can also tax the rich less regressively with a LVT.

 

[Dr Gitlin]

Like if things weren't bad enough, in 30 years the US (and the rest of the world) will most likely suffer catastrophic consequences of Climate Change.

Hate to be the one to tell you this but we're already experiencing the catastrophic consequences of climate change. 40 people were killed in storms a couple of weeks ago.

 

[evanTO]

You clearly have no clue what it's like in red states here in the US. If I try to educate my neighbors about how Trump is fucking all of us over, no matter how mildly I criticize him in the process, all I'll get for my effort is my house being vandalized or burned down. All I can do is wait for him to do something that fucks them over so badly it finally breaks them out of the cult. If Musk breaks Social Security going out each month that'll probably do the trick.

In the meantime trying to do anything here is actively hazardous to my health. Since I'm disabled and vulnerable I'm not going to do it.

Then it won't even make it to the congress person's office. Letters like that are viewed as a potential threat and destroyed. You can blame the letters with anthrax in them years ago for that. Even if it did somehow get to their office they'd not bother reading it, since they'd consider it as not from one of their constituents. If you want it to actually be read (more like skimmed by a staffer) it has to have your name and address on it. And your address has to be in their district.

Thanks, but I've been to several Red States since January 20th.

Perhaps it's easier since I'm not American and so am viewed as a neutral third party, but I've spoken to several MAGA's and have been able to get them to a state of at least starting to question things.


Here's a guide that could be useful for you should you choose to engage:

1. INSIST ON REALITY.
Elon Musk did a fascist salute. We all saw what our eyes saw clear as day on national TV. Donald Trump is an adjudicated sex offender. We all heard what the judge said with our own ears. Trans people are not dangerous. We all know what our own minds and our own hearts know based on logic and empirical evidence. The first rule of every fascist regime is making you question what your eyes see and disbelieve what your ears hear and doubt what your logical faculties know. Insist and assert reality at every opportunity.

2. DON'T DEBATE.
Whatever you do, don't get yourself sucked into a debate. The truth does not require you to defend it, merely assert it. Nazis and fascists of all stripes love a debate because it grants their weird, hate-filled fanfiction an undeserved veneer of respectability. Remember this at all times: they are not arguing in good faith. Their goal is not to plant their ideas factually in the soil of the "marketplace of ideas, then let you do the same, and allow the best ideas to survive and flourish. No, their goal is to burn the marketplace of ideas to the ground, set fire to the field, salt the earth it stood on, and discredit every person who ever treated it as valuable to begin with. Their goal is not the truth. It is the platform itself. Don't give them one.

3. DENY AUTHORITY.
MAGA, the christofascist right, and white supremacists of all varieties rely on a vertical moral system. In a vertical moral system, murder isn't wrong because it causes harm - it's wrong because you don't have the authority to do it. So deny them that authority. Oh, you think there are only two genders? That's cute. You don't have the authority to make that claim. You're too stupid. Shoulda studied harder in middle school dummy. Oh, you're against DEI? Tough titties, fucko, you're not in charge of DEI. I am, actually. (For extra fun, go ahead and claim to be the one in charge of the genders or antifa or whatever. It's hilarious watching the MAGA dipshits try to prove that I'm not.)

4. ATTACK MAGIC WORDS.
Oh, you don't like "DEI"? What do those letters stand for, do you know? So you're against diversity, equity, and inclusion then. Not a good look, babe. Oh, you're against "the woke"? Who is the woke, babygirl? Where is it? Is the woke in the room with us now? Do you need an ambulance? Can you smell toast? You sound like a fucking lunatic.

5. LAUGH.
Always remember to make time to laugh at fascists. Because their weird, hate filled fanfiction is, in the end, very very silly. Imagine being so fucking terrified of a 12 year old trans girl in pigtails half a continent away that you decided the only solution is 18 of your friends in riot gear and matching cargo pants. Nazis are silly, dumb little bitches and their brains are dumb and their ideas are dumb. So go ahead and point and have a good laugh at their expense. You have my full permission.

Source: https://beige.party/@Lana/114204372101581328

 

[candyfire]

But the idea of enabling manufacturing to be viable in the US again for things that have been routinely sent outside the country to places that pay their labor poverty wages I think is a good goal.

We deliberately sent all of our manufacturing to other countries. It wasn't an accident. It was something "we" (business leaders and Congress jointly) did. I haven't seen anyone articulate why we would want it back for seemingly no reason other than jingoism and xenophobia which, although it can be potent, I doubt will ever be more important to the rich than sheer apocalyptic profit-seeking

 

[What a nin-cow-poop]

The only way to actually tax the rich (and likely reduce the need for the IRS) is to scrap the entire tax system and only have a sales tax. If you tax anything other than their consumption of an end product, the cost is going to whoever gets the end product.

No. You can tax the rich by, you know, actually taxing the rich. Add new tax brackets for the mega-wealthy and the ultra-mega-wealthy. Tax all income whatever the source for those tax brackets. Tax loans made against securities. Stop allowing the wealthy to avoid taxes by avoiding "income." That is how you tax the wealthy.

Taxing consumption is incredibly regressive. Poor people have to spend everything they make, so you're taxing 100% of their income. The wealthy spend a miniscule percentage of the money they make, so they would escape paying taxes on the overwhelming majority of their money.

Tax the wealthy by taxing the wealthy, not by taxing the poor.

 

[LtKernelPanic]

Americans, you really have to be doing a whole lot more to prevent the backslide of your country.

Call your representatives, every single day! Protest! Talk to your friends, colleagues, neighbours!

This shit isn't normal! It isn't just going to go away on its own! In fact, it'll get worse the less you do to stop it!

Easier said than done. If you have an (R) for a rep like I do any complaints fall on deaf ears. They don’t answer the phone and never clear their voice mail or more than likely hit delete all then ignore it again until it’s full. Emails get the same canned response. Plus our piece of shit ran and won on the previous racist fucker didn’t do enough to protect trump from impeachment. That’s what people are facing everyday when they try to bring concerns to their congress critters.

 

[evanTO]

Easier said than done. If you have an (R) for a rep like I do any complaints fall on deaf ears. They don’t answer the phone and never clear their voice mail or more than likely hit delete all then ignore it again until it’s full. Emails get the same canned response. Plus our piece of shit ran and won on the previous racist fucker didn’t do enough to protect trump from impeachment. That’s what people are facing everyday when they try to bring concerns to their congress critters.

In person events. Protest their office. Call the nearest Dem representative and tell them your representative isn't listening. Consider running an event in your home town for that Dem representative, just like Bernie and AOC are doing.

 

[Emon]

No. You can tax the rich by, you know, actually taxing the rich. Add new tax brackets for the mega-wealthy and the ultra-mega-wealthy. Tax all income whatever the source for those tax brwckets. Tax loans made against securities. Stop allowing the wealthy to avoid taxes by avoiding "income." That is how you tax the wealthy.

"Taxing the rich sounds difficult so why bother trying?"

I hear this way too much and it pisses me off. "I haven't bothered to think about the problem for long and I don't even have the necessary expertise to begin with, so let's toss the idea and live with inequality instead."

 

[mknelson]

Its the same thing that the happened to Washington State, when the activists thought adding a carbon tax to gasoline would result in energy companies "eating the price increase." Wrong, taxes get mostly passed on to consumers. That's why all tax increases are ultimately a drag on the economy.

Seeing as how your logic flies in the face of the purpose of carbon taxes…

The whole point is to make the carbon emitting options more expensive so you move to lower carbon options like EVs and heat pumps.

 

[shadowkfc]

Actually, they have way more EVs in Europe than they do here in the States, which is a bummer. Some of them, at least at a glance, look pretty nice.

The Focus is old and will not be updated.

The Explorer EV and the Capri EV use VW technology.
Ford is kinda cooked in Europe

 

[Slik]

There's one possible light at the end of this tunnel (assuming we have elections in the future):

We don't need MAGA voters to change their minds. We just need all the purity test lefties, and the right leaning "moderates and undecideds" to 1) come out and vote and 2) vote for the candidate that can beat Trump and his congressional/senate lackeys.

And yes, the above assumes that we have elections and that they are reasonably accessible and fair.

Remember; Trump loyal voters are "only" and 35% of the electorate. Even in states like Texas, there are enough democrats to out vote the reds, if they just show up (and if the repibs vote at their normal rate) Add in the middle ground votes, and upsetting the Trump cart is at least feasible.

 

[Ronin007]

To all the people who voted for this:

He doesn't like you.

The people he likes are the ones who are easily manipulated. Everyone else are "assholes".

 

[ColdWetDog]

Its not about the increase in price. One of his campaign promises is to bring American jobs back. Manufacturing is a large part of his constituent base. This already has companies evaluating opening factories in the US to manufacture.

So yea, he doesnt care about the pricing. His long game is to make his constituents happy. He brought them jobs and the American cars they buy will still be cheaper than imported cars even with tariffs on raw materials. Which then has other cascading effects.

The only way Trump will be able to on shore significant manufacturing will be to start making big things like tanks, ships and lots more armaments. Just like Russia is doing. Will work in the short run, for longer time frames, not so much. He can keep beating the 'Onward Christian Soldiers' drum for a while but that isn't what I signed up for.