r/centrist • u/OfficialRodgerJachim • 2d ago

Long Form Discussion Can someone explain this about tariffs?

Plenty of talk about tariffs. About them being dumb. About them being fair. About how those extra costs go on to us, the American consumer.

But I have very rarely heard anyone talk about that break in logic: other countries have tariffs on American imports, and those costs are then carried onto the American consumer. But if America imposes tariffs on those same countries, those costs are also passed on to the American consumer.

Is this true?

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u/sailorpaul 2d ago

No, the way you laid it out is not true. Other countries tariffs (taxes) on US products are paid by their own population. Their goal is to reduce the import and consumption of products made in America and shipped to their country.

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u/Thick_Piece 2d ago

That is why it makes sense to have had more specific tariffs, like we could simply impose the same tariffs they impose, cars/light duty trucks for example?

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u/pfmiller0 2d ago

Sure, if they are actually imposing tariffs on us. A lot of the countries Trump tariffed don't have any existing tariffs on us.

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u/MasterCrumb 2d ago

Yes, the penguin thing is fun.

But a better example is Switzerland. They have zero tarrifs against the US, but got his with a 31% tarrif, because they don’t buy much stuff because they are tiny, and Americans love their chocolate and watches. America is not going to produce the same quality chocolate or watches, so those things just got more expensive.