The big three ask for higher tariiffs on imported SUV and mini vans.

JimV wrote in news:57adndQboYuNWYvanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

of course,that should include "American" vehicles assembled in Mexico and Canada. Also,any major assemblies such as engines,transmissions,frames/subframes.

It's a percentage of domestic content. Clearly if it's 0% it's a no-brainer. We could argue about numbers between 0 and 100.

JimV wrote in news:b-qdnc8Yu-iFTIvanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

First,define "domestic content". Currently,there's some funny games played with that definition,favoring "US" brands.

some "foreign" autos have greater "domestic content" than some "American" autos. Hondas have the greatest domestic content.

Whatever,the rules should apply equally to US as well as "foreign" auto makers.

The Japanese tariffs on American vehicles are nearly 5 times the amount we tax on Japanese-imported vehicles. Are you trying to say the Japanese can't compete?

You do realise that while you theorise about what % tariff to apply to imported cars and components, your leaders travel the planet pleading with most other nations to abolish tariffs in the spirit of free trade and market self-regulation held to be a pinnacle of the American way. If your auto makers can't compete, then it's your fault - not anyone else's, and as a casual outside observer, I'd just comment that penalizing others because they appear to be able to do something better than you can isn't very fair.

Would you like it if your policy was extended to getting all non US sprinters to carry 50lb lead weights at the Olympics?

They're not necessarily _our_ leaders. They just happened to get elected. The current administration touts whatever helps out their friends and self-interests the best. So, they carefully examine tariffs, check with their friends, and make a decision. It has little to do with what the people here want.

Definitely. US Automakers don't have a clue. Never have, never will, never want to change. If someone gets on a Board of Directors who advocates change, they push him back off.

I'm not sure how that applies. However, in the instances where the US does actually advocate a "no tariff" situation, the trading partner quite often continues to maintain a tariff. That's not right. (Keeping in mind that "no tariff" is usually reserved for situations when a powerful administration ally wants to import foreign items at low cost to increase profit and CEO salaries, at the expense of the workforce and smaller vendors who use local materials).

still me wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

I believe that Japan's tariff is for completed cars,not assemblies. I suspect that Honda and Toyota could and would continue in the US if a tariff was enacted for imported parts assemblies.I don't know about Nissan,Mazda and BMW. It would affect "domestic" auto companies much more,as they move a lot of parts AND complete cars between Mexico,Canada,and the US. If you want to aid US workers,get the domestic automakers to build their products in the US,not in Mexico and Canada. At least Honda and the other imports build most of their US(and some export)cars here in the US,employing US workers. While our own auto industry builds their US vehicles in other countries.

I thought the US, Mexico, and Canada were all one country now. Did I misunderstand the politicians?