this post was submitted on 09 Mar 2025
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Europe

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[–] BilboBargains@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago

These trade moves have the same implicit assumption. That US trading partners can't buy the same thing elsewhere for a cheaper price. Feels like this is a problem that solves itself.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 24 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (2 children)

US trade delegate Jamieson Greer has called on American companies to report unfair trade practices by partner countries, according Budliger Artieda. This applies in particular to G20 countries and states with a strongly positive trade balance with the US.

You would not expect an efficient world market to have a zero bilateral trade balance between each pair of countries in it.

Say we have a world with three countries.

Country A is good at producing apples and consumes a lot of beans.

Country B is good at producing beans and consumes a lot of cherries.

Country C is good at producing cherries and consumes a lot of apples.

No country on there should have a zero bilateral trade balance with any other country. Country A should run a deficit with B and surplus with C. B should run a deficit with C and surplus with A. C should run a deficit with A and surplus with B.

You could, with sufficient regulation, prevent that from happening, but you'd be giving up the gains you get from comparative advantage.

[–] dont_lemmee_down@lemm.ee 5 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I mean A could sell apples and buy cherries from C and then sell the cherries to B and buy their beans. That would make a zero sum with both countries. Sure it results in the same end result but with more shiping cost. I think the problem is that many people don't understand, that a deficit in trade is nothing negative, you are not losing money as a country because you are still getting products.

Nobody complains, that we (as people) have a trade deficit with supermarkets, why don't they employ us at least for the money we pay in groceries!?

[–] jonne@infosec.pub 1 points 24 minutes ago

Trump is the only person I've ever heard complain about the trade deficit. I don't think even the crazy libertarians ever talked about it. It's just such a weird obsession of his.

[–] Melchior@feddit.org 3 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

It is actually even more stupid. If Country A invests into Country B, then Country A has a trade surplus with Country B. However it also owns the investments, which means profits from the investment in Country B should be send back to Country A.

That is exactly what happened with the US. They invest a lot abroad after WW2 and are now living of the capital they own abroad.

[–] jonne@infosec.pub 1 points 22 minutes ago* (last edited 21 minutes ago)

And even if someone makes a fortune abroad, they'll still generally invest their profits in Wall Street.

And even if they don't, their country will buy US dollars to keep in their reserves and buy oil.

[–] andrewth09@lemmy.world 7 points 7 hours ago

2000% tariff on American made watches to Switzerland

[–] albert180@discuss.tchncs.de 61 points 11 hours ago (3 children)

The Orange Moron is doing a really good job at uniting and integrating former allies against him

β€œBut we certainly can’t be accused of being unfair. Switzerland has unilaterally abolished its industrial tariffs, we have no pharmaceutical tariffs. US companies can export their products to Switzerland duty-free,”

[–] CaptainProton@feddit.org 1 points 1 hour ago

Will the Swiss drop neutrality like Ireland?

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 45 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

And in the same quote:

we have been doing exactly what President Trump wants for a long time

And I believe her.

So how did CH get on that list?

US trade delegate Jamieson Greer has called on American companies to report unfair trade practices by partner countries

So some businessperson with a grievance decides what gets onto some government list? Truly an oligarchy.

That said I'd like to know a bit more about the whole (yet another) international debacle.

[–] albert180@discuss.tchncs.de 27 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (2 children)

I guess they just didn't like the trade deficit because they think it means "losing"

Also Trump views a VAT as an unfair tariff even if it applies equally to both domestic and foreign companies. He's completely dishonest, so don't expect any logic(I don't buy that he's that dumb)

https://fortune.com/2025/02/15/trump-hate-vat-why-europe-consumption-tax-has-us-vowing-reciprocal-tariffs/

[–] Sludgehammer@lemmy.world 10 points 7 hours ago

Trump is the epitome of the Republican sentiment "Unless I have privilege I'm being oppressed"

[–] tal@lemmy.today 5 points 6 hours ago

Also Trump views VAT

I don't know about that. The problem is that you cannot take Trump statements as straightforward representations of his views. He says plenty of things just because they're politically useful, without regard for truth.

[–] teft@lemmy.world 15 points 11 hours ago

I wonder what the plan is when one oligarch needs the country’s product and another wants the country tariffed. I guess whoever has the larger bribes wins?

[–] LordR@lemmy.world 9 points 10 hours ago

It is as if the Cheater in Chief is turning everything to shit that he touchess. I can't wait for the 30'000% tariffs on Swiss gold or whatever his idea will be.

[–] Gsus4@mander.xyz 13 points 9 hours ago

trump has a trade deficit with mcdonalds too. Time to annex them or something.

[–] RonnyZittledong@lemmy.world 44 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

When we have absolutely no allies left except Russia, America will truly be great again.

[–] Venus_Ziegenfalle@feddit.org 37 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

Not sure I'd call Russia an ally rather than a puppetmaster

[–] rumschlumpel@feddit.org 4 points 10 hours ago

Though the US has always had a certain tendency to act similarly after WW2 ...

[–] vesi@lemm.ee 3 points 11 hours ago
[–] GenosseFlosse@feddit.org 2 points 10 hours ago

That's good because it means there won't be anyone in the way of a socialist revolution, comrade!

[–] Potato@feddit.org 31 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Can't have a trade deficit if you don't have trade.

[–] Valmond@lemmy.world 10 points 10 hours ago

-"Trade deficit went down 50%!!"

(Trade went down 60%)

[–] Ghyste@sh.itjust.works 27 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Time for someone to leak a list of billionaires' Swiss bank accounts.

[–] ALQ@sh.itjust.works 10 points 10 hours ago

I'd prefer if someone managed to Robin Hood those accounts, instead.

[–] sasquash@sopuli.xyz 19 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Where are our right wing assholes now who said they would prefer trump? Trump would be better for Switzerland? Fucking SVP morons

[–] Verdorrterpunkt@feddit.org 4 points 2 hours ago

Aeschi was recently defending trump, still. Disgustingly antidemocratic.

[–] aleq@lemmy.world 11 points 11 hours ago

I mean sure, why the fuck not? Who's left at this point?

[–] saltynachos@lemm.ee 3 points 11 hours ago

Our spineless politicians are going to react well to this, I'm sure.