Yesterday, Trump imposed tariffs on another $200 billion of goods from China. Today Republican infighting broke out.
Please consider Senate Takes Step to Assert Power on Trade.
Senators voted Wednesday, 88-11, to instruct the lawmakers appointed to iron out differences with the House over a spending bill to also insert a provision giving a role to Congress when the executive branch decides to impose tariffs on the basis of national-security concerns.
“We have to rein in an abuse of presidential authority and to restore Congress’s constitutional authority in this regard,” said Sen. Jeff Flake (R., Ariz.), one of the authors of the measure.
Mr. Trump has privately expressed frustration over Congress’s ability to limit or override the power of the White House on national-security matters, saying that it has complicated efforts to exert what he deems as necessary pressure on U.S. allies—particularly those in Europe. Three people familiar with the details of these conversations said the president complained last year when Congress urged him to back a tough new sanctions bill that included proposed measures targeting Russia.
The president eventually signed the Russia sanctions bill but insisted in a statement that: “As president, I can make far better deals with foreign countries than Congress.”
Non-binding Vote
The Senate vote is non-binding. The House needs to put similar language into a bill and have the president sign it to take effect.
No president ever signs a bill that limits his power.
Besides, Trump knows full well that anything Congress can do, he can do better.
Trump, Get Your Gun
Just remember: No one can do anything better than Trump.
As “proof”, note that BMW is moving some South Carolina production to China and Tesla is doing the same.
US car prices will go up by as much as $6,000 per car.
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- Three US Tire-Chord Makers Threaten to Close Doors Due to Trump Tariffs
We call these things, “winning”.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
Wow, Gliderdude! You must have spent a lot of time in the library doing research to be able to come up with such an erudite critique.
What if Trump’s goal isn’t tariffs at all? They are just a means to an end that results in true free and open trade, not just on America’s end.
BMW is an interesting point. Telsa is irrelevant. They are simply not a viable long-term company.
“…note that BMW is moving some South Carolina production to China and Tesla is doing the same.
US car prices will go up by as much as $6,000 per car.”
Some 60,000 U.S. factories have closed over the years, leaving a large number of American workers without money needed to buy a car. I can’t afford a BMW in the first place.
We agree on this one. Congress has let the Executive take more power than authorized to far too long. I also doubt there is much they will actually do but perhaps they finally are realizing it is a problem.
We have been running deficients in perpetuity. It’s not an issue especially when we are the issue of the world currency. Also, we are never going to balance the budget
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Mish, CONgress is a swamp. Our country has been sold out and you seem just fine with the result.
The Senators and Representatives can huff and puff however much they want but that is pretty much all they can do.
Kinuach, true die-hard Repug. Give massive tax break to rich, then complain budget must be cut since we must balance budget. In other words fuck educating the next generation I want to buy a yacht. Except that you are right, gov not interested in educating and supporting its citizenry, rather it is more interested in managing the whole planet for an agenda outlined by its MIC. So yeah I would rather have a yacht than kill another 100,000 “terrorists” just for the F.O.I.
CONgress is actually going to do something? Don’t hold your breath… they are too busy posing for the camera.
Maybe. Maybe not. All the best economists thought that the end of World War II would cause depression beyond our wildest dreams, as millions of demobilized service men joined the unemployment line and billions of $ in armaments contracts stopped cold. But reality did not match theory — something that seems to happen a lot in the economics field.
why? passing a budget would cause depression beyord our wildest dreams.
The lack of discipline means Congress is working hand in glove with our Fed overlords. Why limit ourselves?
While we’re on the subject, would also be nice if Trump stopped signing the (omnibus) junk Congress hands to him.
Personally, I will stop laughing at Congress when they pass a real budget — one that makes the hard decisions and lives within the government income. It is no wonder that Congress gets slightly less respect in polls than used car dealers. Our Political Class is an incompetent joke.
“US car prices will go up by as much as $6,000 per car. …”
Yeah. The average American earning $35K per year so concerned that his BMWs will cost 6K more! LOL
It may be too little, too late, but Congress is moving slowly to act to curtail executive power.