US doesn't seem to like a taste of it's own medicine

[krusty the klown]

EU propose 'retaliatory' taxes on US goods. Apparently, Dubya's a bit upset about this... but he sees it perfectly acceptable for the US to impose 30% taxes on steel

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/bus...00/1892656.stm

Come on, Dubya - we either have this free trade and actually play by the free trade rules, or we start imposing tit-for-tat tax punishments on eachother's goods... which will it be???

Or does the US believe that the US does what the US likes and everyone else does what the US likes??????? Cos that's what it seems to stink of!

[RustyGT]

Krusty.
Hurts us in Australia, more than it does Europe.

We have been battling the US over wheat, sheep, coal, steel etc..
For decades now.
And it just keeps getting tougher!
Dubya is not the 1st US Prez to talk free trade, while imposing tarriffs.

Europe has a huge market of it's own.
Australia is in an invidious situation of needing to sell overseas.

Yet every time the Allies need help with a war, we answer the call.
We are mugs.

But whattya do? R.

[TheBurningCat]

I sometimes wonder when it comes to war if our prime minister(john howard) isn't Bushs shadow, he seems to mimic what ever he does

*shrug*

[ClubMed]

I couldn't have said it any better krusty the klown. This is what happens when politicians around the world become confused.

You have an ailing steel industry in the US due to unproductively, mismanagement and too many national players, and somehow some politician thinks the remedy is imposing high taxes on foreign markets and firms.

The only way the US steel producers can be helped is if their number is reduced. Those that remain should be given a monetary injection to help them reorganise and find ways of becoming efficient and productive.

But no, that would be a logical method and so politicians don't like it.

Did you know that all the national steel producers in the US can’t meet the demands of the US market?? Do these politicians need a sledgehammer to wake them up??

[nunyadam]

How many steel mills in the US were shut down when the market was flooded with imported steel in the 70's? Dubya has to try to do a balancing act to keep everybody happy . unfortunately it doesn't work.

[ClubMed]

It really has very little to do with foreign steel producers nunyadam.

The problem is how these US steel producers are run and the fact that there are way too many little and weak one's.

I know the politicians say otherwise, but then again they always do, and most often than not they are simply lying to us.

In this case I am sure a number of politicians will get lots money from US steel producers for imposing high tax's on the foreign comptetors.

P.s. Correct me if I am wrong but the USA did sign agreements to engage in free trade?

[C5John]

Steel is just the tip of the iceberg.

"Free" trade is in the eye of the beholder.

It would be interesting to see the trade barriers put up by each country to protect their own pet industries.

[brandon184]

I have a problem with Bush in terms of power... I find it perfectly okay to have a patriotic country and ensure that your country has a fair share of the power.

I do NOT find it okay to automatically assume that your country can do whatever they damn well please. Because, that mentality will eventually catch up to the U.S. and when it does - things won't be looking good.

- Brandon
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[edwelly]

Or does the US believe that the US does what the US likes and everyone else does what the US likes???????

yep, pretty much so... and that just may be the downfall of the US
---edwelly

[Obsolete10k]

Protectionism sucks. Hurts the consumers more than anything.