Trump suggests leaving WTO over import tax proposal

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill

Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to pull the United States out of the World Trade Organization (WTO) if his plan to tax imports of U.S. companies that move their operations abroad is foiled.

The Republican nominee called the international trade body a “disaster” and ratcheted up his anti-trade criticism in calling for the punishment of U.S. firms that move overseas.

He also doubled down on his push to either renegotiate or withdraw the United States from all of their global agreements, including the North American Free Trade Agreement and the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership.
“There will be a tax to be paid,” Trump told Chuck Todd in an interview on NBC's “Meet the Press.”

Trump has vowed to impose tariffs — in the range of 15 to 35 percent — on companies like Indiana-based Carrier, which is moving its operations to Mexico.

-snip-

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/finance/289005-trump-suggests-leaving-wto-over-import-tax-proposal

[greymattermom]

1. USexit

U Sex it

[cstanleytech]

2. A BS ploy to try and gain votes which he wont follow through on. nt

[Feeling the Bern]

3. Donnie Dipshit farts out more turds of wisdom. His followers orgasm at the sound

[uawchild]

4. Globalization is unstoppable

We all know that. The TPP is inevitable too. There are real impacts on working people that should not be ignored just because tRump is paying some lip-service to them.

Trump trying to steal the issues of precarious employment and the real impacts of globalization on the lower earning 40% of the American workforce is the real problem.

These MUST be Democratic issues going forward. Bernie has done all he could to bring these issues to the forefront, Hillary should continue forward on answering tRumps fascist populism on the economy.

[daleo]

15. These MUST be Democratic issues going forward.

True, that. If globalization hurts most people, its limited support will wither away. And if that happens, nothing is inevitable or unstoppable.

[pampango]

16. I think someone like Trump could do a number on globalization since it is partly the result of

human efforts to tie countries together rather than push them apart. (Of course, it is also the result of modern technology, communications and travel which will be difficult, if not impossible, to reverse.)

Krugman wrote that there was a mini-globalization period during Woodrow Wilson's era that was reversed by the republicans that followed him in the 1920's. They raised tariffs, restricted immigration and ended that period of globalization by their efforts in favor of a period of nationalism and isolationism. (Trump talks about doing something similar with his walls, travel bans and unilateral tariffs.)

Then FDR came along and promoted internationalism and set up the international organizations that have played a major role in the modern form of internationalism.

Much of the republican base, which Trump tapped into, hasn't really changed much since the 1920's and supports Trump doing what republicans did back then before FDR came along and reversed all of their isolationism-inspired policy. Now they want to reverse all that FDR did.

Of course, modern communications and travel make the world a 'smaller' place no matter what any politician does compared to the 1920's. But someone like Trump could destroy much of the infrastructure of globalization and reverse it, at least for a time. Eventually the world would probably get back on the track that it was pre-Trump, just like it did under FDR, but that might take a while.

Trump's and Obama's Views on Globalization Reflect Broader Gap

Donald Trump's vow to rip up free trade agreements and return America to "economic independence" is not only a strident counter to President Obama's calls for a more interconnected world, but an illustration of a broader debate between advocates of globalization and those who oppose it.

"You can look at Trump's campaign as one big push-back against globalization, and the Britain vote too," said Daniel Cox, director of research at the Public Religion Research Institute, a non-partisan group that analyzes cultural, religious and political trends in the U.S.

In a speech last week, Trump criticized a "leadership class that worships globalism over Americanism." ... a backlash, particularly on the right, to a long-held belief by party elites in the U.S. and Europe that open borders, pro-immigration policies, increased trade and overall international cooperation are the best ways to improve the global economy. ... The next day, Obama, in a speech following a meeting with other North American leaders in Canada, warned that pulling out of trade deals "is the wrong medicine for dealing with inequality."

Obama seems aware that his side is not winning the globalization argument. Even as he continually criticizes Trump, the president is acknowledging the concerns of voters here and abroad who have doubts about globalization. ... He added, "And politicians — some sincere, and some entirely cynical — will tap that anger and fear, harkening back to bygone days of order and predictability and national glory, arguing that we must rebuild walls and disengage from a chaotic world, or rid ourselves of the supposed ills brought on by immigrants — all in order to regain control of our lives."

http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/trump-s-obama-s-views-globalization-reflect-broader-gap-n601901

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Das Consequences

Is it 1835 yet?

[yallerdawg]

6. Tax, tax, tax.

Republicans have got to be quaking in their boots now, waking up to what has happened in their party.

It's a beautiful thing!

[pampango]

7. Trump- US out of WTO, out of NAFTA, out of NATO, out of Iran deal, out of climate deal. FDR he ain't

He more of a 21 century Herbert Hoover. Dude doesn't seem to realize that we are part of the world and walls and tariffs and travel bans are not going to change that. FDR knew it. Hoover and Trump never figured it out.

[kimbutgar]

8. And he also doesn't release it's the legislative branch that raises taxes and tariffs

Not the executive branch.

[Nativechef]

9. Does this include....

Does this include his cheap ass clothing line? Looks like he's trying to put himself out of business as well and for that I say "goforit".............

[The Second Stone]

10. His companies are part of the problem

what a load of crap.

[goldent]

11. Wow, he is completely disregarding the Republican base

(probably figures they have no-where to go) and is going hard after independents and even some wavering Democrats. It is a gutsy and maybe harmful move, but he probably figures he'll never win a conventional Rep vs Dem campaign. This election is getting crazier every day.

[pampango]

12. He has read the republican base very well throughout the primaries.

Their base has always been opposed to trade agreements, the WTO, the UN, climate agreements, immigration, diversity, etc. - almost anything that has anything to do with the rest of the world (other than invading it).

I imagine Trump is hoping to attract some independents and wavering Democrats with the same rhetoric that he knows his own base loves, even though his party establishment does not.

[goldent]

13. I thought the republicans wanted the trade agreements

as they were viewed as good for business regardless of the side effects.

Bill Clinton has been blamed for NAFTA but it was actually negotiated and signed by Bush.

In fact, until this campaign got heated up, I thought party Dem and Rep establishments were equally for these agreements (e.g. TPP). Now everyone is against them. Next year we will see.

[pampango]

14. Most republican politicians (until Trump came along) do want them. Their base never has.

Polls show that their base hates trade agreements more than the Democratic base does.

... until this campaign got heated up, I thought party Dem and Rep establishments were equally for these agreements (e.g. TPP).

Using the 'fast track' vote, the republican establishment was much more for TPP than was the Democratic establishment. Relatively few Democrats voted for 'fast track'. Of course, Obama and some Democratic politicians were for it.

Trump's ability to tap into their base's opposition to trade and immigration has helped him immensely. Indeed "next year we will see." If he wins, either the GOP will be reshaped in his image or he will change and become a more traditional republican. If he loses (particularly if he loses big), I expect the GOP will try to write him off as a 'fling' that backfired and try to go back to business-as-usual in the future.