Featured Trump tariffs put the US auto industry in disarray

Maybe we should all get those free phones they were giving away in the last administration...to the other cheap labor.

 

If only society wasn't centered around the mobile device right? Are you going to be the first one to boycott smart phones because the Chinese slave is suffering...your move.

 

Those phones had a retail price of $19 when a very similar one was purchased at Walland.

Wasn’t the liberty phone found to use under 20% domestic content?

basically it was just domestic assembly labor. Software was written overseas by contractors, hardware was majority sourced overseas.

another proudly made in the USA by robots using foreign parts and software

 

Weird world we live in.

• We "need" smartphones and other electronics, but those electronics are made mostly in China.
• People in the USA accuse China of not only subsidising their products to make them cheaper, but also of allowing for poor labor conditions.
• Yet people in the USA are hooked on said electronics and other cheap stuff. (Try writing to Priuschat without using an electronic device or the internet).
• But then the government imposes tariffs across the board for each country, without looking at each company. But making jobs better for workers overseas and over boarders doesn't seem to be the goal.
• The push right now seems to be to get more manufacturing into the USA. But there's not a clear indication that such products can be built in the USA for a reasonable price, nor is there an indication it will ever happen.
• The same can be said of pretty much everything the USA consumes, cars, clothing, food, etc. Some things can be bought locally, but who wants to have zero fresh fruit in the winter?

I'm not sure I understand everything that's going on except that we're screwed one way or another.

 

if this is a brownie points pissing contest? One tries to do what one can do. Samsung has divested much - & continues to divest itself from Chinese slave labor. iirc they're below ¼ of their parts now.
& you?

.

 

I guess I'll keep waiting to buy a phone then. My current phone is 5 years old and doesn't have all the features I'd like. Sadly, about the only phone I can find that has what I want (headphone jack, FM radio, SD card reader, and satellite connectivity) is made by Motorola, which is now owned by the Chinese Company Lenovo.

American phone companies, like Apple and Google (who also probably manufacture mostly in China, and of course manufacture outside of the USA) are quick to remove the features I want in a phone and add a bunch of stuff (software) that I'm not interested in.

 

Interesting, never seen that one. It's still selling for $1200 and the gov't is still spying on you..but ok.

As I mentioned in the previous post, we should probably be more worried about the phones spying on you and tailoring ads for you based on your eye movements and other conspiratorial things rather than where and who makes them. But yeah Samsung, I do love me some Android and their cool proprietary Hybrid Assistant app that Apple refuses to let on their platform..

 

Personally, I care a lot less about the sticker price, than the reliability rating. I'd rather pay a bit more for something that won't bleed me white on repairs. That's why I'm loyal to the Toyota brand.

 

the tariffs haven't really kicked in fully. this discussion will be much more interesting down the road

 

I'm not sure they have to, we see the disarray just "talk" about them has caused with people and businesses taking advantage of customers. Uncharted seas need to be tested before sailed into to make sure it's smooth sailing for survival or the proper amount of destruction is achieved depending on who the captain is.

 

There are things that I dislike about the ID Buzz. But then again, there aren't many alternatives that hit on so many spots.

The good thing about everything being built so inferior these days is that it does curb consumerism, at least for me. I'll just keep using my current car until the wheels fall off. The same with my phone, appliances, etc.

 

Volkswagen EV van isn't the first to do stupid inaccessible stuff like that. Our Porsche tolerance was so close between spark plugs & side areas - it was most practical to drop the engine a bit just to change plugs. Then there was the notorious GenII Prius headlights that the service center charged a ton for - due to the time necessary to take stuff apart. Then luscious garage in the San Francisco Bay area did YouTube videos on a workaround for that. & the list goes on.

 

In fairness, is there even a domestic option for the parts they import?

I'd like to see more US content in electronics, but you need more than a phone and the Scanguage to support production of the core components to be competitive.

It is the only option for those complaining about Chinese phone manufacturing. How many of you guys have bought one?

The Liberty phone is $2000.
Purism– Liberty Phone

It does not use Android. The operating system, also used in their tablets and lap tops, is based on Linux. It might be the only phone on the market that can be made to not spy on you. The Light phone might also fall in that group.
The Light Phone

 

'you say tomato -'

 

Two things can be based on Linux without being the same thing.

If you try installing an Android app on a Liberty Phone, this will become clear.

 

That is not ok, and isn't true. After trump announced over 100% tarrifs on chinese products, the chinese retailiated. They have since negotiated down temporarily with 32.6% tarrifs on 86% of US goods sold in china, and 54% tarrifs on 100% of chinese goods sold in the US. Trump negotiated promises from china in his first administration, which china did not follow through on. Biden didn't fix things and kept most of trump tarrifs on, now they are much higher and china is restricting sales of rare earth metals to US defense contractors. This is a lose lose for both countries. China cheats, trump cheats, Targeted tariffs where china cheats with our allies might work, but instead the administration is targetting US allies and china has been gaining leverage pushing out the US.

Having done business in both places I can say I have worked with many good people in both countries. I don't trust either government or our own. I am not sure how these non targetted tarrifs help america or americans. One day it is jobs, but the tarrifs appear to be cutting manufacturing jobs, except in semiconductors, where good bipartsan legislation is causing investment. This administration wants to kill the chips act, but probably won't do so.

Absolutely I would agree that would be great if japan and korea moved all their production of north american vehicles to the US. I don't think there is any commitment to that and with the parts, steel, and aluminum tarrifs it is likely they will not move production here.

I simply don't believe the commitment, there are no details and most speculation is the money will go to chip plants and energy infrastructure that I would rather have in american hands. Some of that money is likely counted of the Nippon steel investment in their purchase of US Steel. Members of the current administration the VP and Secretary of state were against the purchase on national security grounds until they were in power. I don't understand how our national security is benefited by high tarrifs on canadian steel, and sending control of US steel to foriegn buys. Still the merger was good, if only because US steel was so mismanaged it shed employment even during the 25% tarrifs, now nippon steel gets to benefit from 50% tarrifs.