Trump Suggests Tariffs Could Be Placed on iPhones and Laptops Imported From China

[Sanlitun]

We don't want Americans to perform manual labor that oxen can do. We only want engineers and scientists and artist - people that can create value with their minds.

But how many are going to Harvard to be one of your elite scientists? Everyone else is priced out of housing and childcare and the global economy is not working out for them.

The only reason companies like Apple have moved manufacturing abroad is profit. And that profit is absolutely at the expense of the USA middle class.

If Apple wants to sell their products here then they must involve themselves in the economy and workplace of their consumers. If Apple will not do that and is only involved with the USA workforce as a pool of consumers then I would say 10% is not enough.

 

[Mansu944]

• It was Bush who approved the bailout plan as part of TARP, not Obama.
• Obama did not "hand" any part of GM to anyone. UAW was the largest pre-petition creditor of GM, and as is the case with every Chapter 11 bankruptcy, creditors exchange their debt for equity.
• TARP saved 1.2 million jobs at GM, and added $15 billion to the U.S. Treasury

Bush? That GM bailout was started in June 2009…I am pretty sure the Bush administration wasn't involved in it. And answer the original question. Were tarrifs responsible for the Chapter 11 then too?

 

[selfsilent]

Because what Apple really needs is higher RRP.

How will tariffs for importing from China to America affect you in Australia?

It just means either a price increase in the US or less profit for Apple.
Even with a price increase, Apple products will still be cheaper in America than every other country.
It’s about time you paid more, like we do.

 

[BayouTiger]

Wow! MR is a bastion of left wing leaners! Who woulda thunk!

 

[msh]

Let’s be fair. If we are going to say trump inherited obamas economic growth (I don’t disagree) we have to admit Clinton inherited Reagan’s economic growth. Last I checked Reagan was a republican.

But remember Reagan did it with huge budget deficits.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I am so glad I am not in the market for any new Apple products and will gladly keep the ones I have for a long while.

 

[MacCurry]

And President H.W. Bush was handicapped by the large deficits he inherited from Reagan.

He did, but the Clinton administration benefited from the end of the cold war and increased spending by private industry, public institutions, and government agencies on information technologies. It was a period of technological change similar to what radio was in the 1920s. The bottom fell out in 2001 with the dot com bubble. What the Clinton administration can be blamed for is the removal of Glass-Stegal provisions segregating banking operations from speculative investments. The bottom of that fell out in 2008/2009.

 

[TroyBoy30]

Is it me, or is does it seem that this administration is actively trying to sabotage our economy?

I mean, what sense do these tariffs make? So far they've only caused problems. What is the end goal here?

Yea the economy is doing terrible under trump /s

 

[stevefo]

Trump's steel tariffs is why GM just laid off everyone.

Congratulations Trump voters, you played yourself.

The US economy is a globalist one that seeks open borders and free trade. The quicker you understand that, the better off you will be in this country.

Apple is doing exactly that by designing products by brilliant engineers in Silicon Valley, while having them built by cheaper, lower educated people in China.

If a person in China can build something for cheaper than in America, LET THEM - that is economic efficiency. An efficient economy will always win over an corrupt, inefficient one. Americans should only do jobs that only Americans can do, like high-end services jobs. Our economy is based on massive higher-education - the best in the world. No other country has a university system like ours, and we should take advantage of that.

We don't want Americans to perform manual labor that oxen can do. We only want engineers and scientists and artist - people that can create value with their minds.

New York, Silicon Valley and Hollywood are good examples of the kind of economy the US should be going forward.

A good example of complete economic failure is Russia - their economy is entirely based on selling things they find on the ground. When was the last time anyone bought something designed/made in Russia?

I don't think you really understand, President Trump does not want tariffs on anything going in or out of any country that does business with the USA. ABOLISH tariffs worldwide. That my friend, is a true global level playing field. He told China, don't put tariffs on our stuff to make it more expensive in China. If you do, so will we! China only cares about itself. They don't care! Once we put the same tariffs on their products coming into our country, they will buckle.

 

[Tech198]

"Trump is set to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this week, and he said he is prepared to implement additional tariffs on products that are not currently subjected to tariffs should negotiations not go well."

So, he has a backup plan then..

We pay 10% GST as well here, so how do you think it would affect us?

 

[apolloa]

Ivanka trumps earrings? Or did you mean earnings?

I meant ‘tariffs’, but good ol iOS auto correct gets it wrong again.

 

[DaveN]

How about a billion dollar retroactive tariff on each imported wife and half a billion for each chain migration parent the wives bring in?

 

[groadyho]

Please no. Hollywood is exactly what we should not be going forward. The lack of ethics and morals in Hollywood should disturb everyone.

Actually the lack of ethics and morals from our dear leader in the WH should disturb everyone. Hollywood doesnt run the country

 

[jeremiah256]

He did, but the Clinton administration benefited from the end of the cold war and increased spending by private industry, public institutions, and government agencies on information technologies. It was a period of technological change similar to what radio was in the 1920s. The bottom fell out in 2001 with the dot com bubble. What the Clinton administration can be blamed for is the removal of Glass-Stegal provisions segregating banking operations from speculative investments. The bottom of that fell out in 2008/2009.

And I have no problems putting blame on the Great Recession on both the Clinton administration, for Glass-Stegal, and the George W. Bush administration, for additional mass deregulation and tax cuts during war.

 

[shareef777]

This should really help all the phones and laptops manufacturered in the US

 

[stylinexpat]

To make the USA a center of consumer product manufacturing again, the German model.

Perhaps Trump wants to do what Japan China did as well. Criticize them for their tariffs as an excuse to raise tariffs and start doing what you accuse them of doing.

 

[Cosmosent]

Fortunately for ALL, there is an app in the iOS App Store that enables ANYONE with Basic Math Skills to craft their own iPhone Sales Estimates for THE CURRENT QUARTER, & to do so, "WITH OR WITHOUT A 10% TARIFF INCLUDED" !

It's a FREE app, called "Timmy".

It's been Available in the iOS App Store since May 16th !

I recommend everyone at least check it out ... it's FREE, there are NO IAPs, & it doesn't collect any user data !!!

It's basically an Educational Tool.

It's official name is "Timmy : Mobile Sales Estimator"

 

[goobot]

It was Reagan’s policies that influenced the economy in positive ways in the 90s not Clinton’s.

You mean the economic crash that forced bush to raise taxes and cost him his re-election?

 

[SharksFan22]

One basic thing that people forget about prices is that the iPhone price is set by whatever Apple thinks we are willing to pay for it. They (and other smart companies) continue to raise prices until sales fall, then back off a bit and find that sweet spot to maximize revenue. Had nothing to do with cost - if they can’t make acceptable margin then they don’t sell it. These tariffs may add cost to Apple and they will do one of three things - pass that along to us, work to lower cost of making the iPhone to keep profit margins or stop sales and come out with a replacment. Has nothing to do with politics or who’s right - just basic math.

And I’m as guilty as anyone here with my iPhone, MacBook Pro, iPad, Apple TV and on and on...

 

[Luap]

Is it me, or is does it seem that this administration is actively trying to sabotage our economy?

I mean, what sense do these tariffs make? So far they've only caused problems. What is the end goal here?

You do realise China has significant tariffs on the import of American products, right? Which stifles the American export market considerably. You can be sure that if/when China drop them, Trump will do just the same.
That is quite the opposite of sabotaging your economy. If Trumps plan works that is..

 

[brendu]

Actually the lack of ethics and morals from our dear leader in the WH should disturb everyone. Hollywood doesnt run the country

Uhh it does disturb pretty much everyone...

 

[Dominicanyor]

That sound you hear? That's the sound of shareholders running for the hills. Yikes!

I've been wondering if this is the real reason why Apple has been raising prices like crazy lately. They knew this was a possibility.

That could be a possibility.

 

[redneckitengineer]

How about a billion dollar retroactive tariff on each imported wife and half a billion for each chain migration parent the wives bring in?

Round two... fight.

So if your going to claim Melania there because well, I’m sure that wasn’t aimed at the caravan of women throwing rocks and bottles at us. Let me link to an article by a Democrat immigration lawyer who happened to represent Melania...

https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/how-did-melania-trump-get-u-s-citizenship/

So after reading that from the horse’s mouth, would you not agree she came here as a skilled self employed individual? She is not an imported wife.

#EducateYourselfFoo (in my MR T voice)


Who’s next?

 

[jeremiah256]

You do realise China has significant tariffs on the import of American products, right? Which stifles the American export market considerably. You can be sure that if/when China drop them, Trump will do just the same.
That is quite the opposite of sabotaging your economy. If Trumps plan works that is..

Then it seems the Trans-Pacific Partnership would have been a better mechanism to address issues with China. Why go it alone when it could have been 12 nations (including #1, USA, and #3, Japan, #10, Canada, and #15, Mexico) aligned against China?

 

[ronno]

Personally I'm surprised that the Republican party is prepared to get behind tariffs

I don't think anyone else really is "getting behind" these tariffs.
The republicans in congress are all running scared, afraid of being "tweet stormed" and insulted by President T.
So instead they have decided to let the country slide into the gutter...