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That's a good plan, there will be other consequences of that though. Most of the illegals get paid waaaay below minimum wage, with no FICA/FUTA/SUTA costs to the employer. So the costs would go up 300% overnight. I'm not sure how that would play out in the market, but I would back that plan all day. If they're here, working, housed, etc, get them a "Guest Visa" to sort things out. If they're here, not working, on assistance, off you go back to your home country.
... Too right, mate... This is also our Australian point of view.
Rather a shame some o' the liberals don't seem to agree.
Here in President Trump's Economy.
That's a good plan, there will be other consequences of that though. Most of the illegals get paid waaaay below minimum wage, with no FICA/FUTA/SUTA costs to the employer. So the costs would go up 300% overnight. I'm not sure how that would play out in the market, but I would back that plan all day. If they're here, working, housed, etc, get them a "Guest Visa" to sort things out. If they're here, not working, on assistance, off you go back to your home country.
Ditto Salty. That makes good sense Sand, the bold text. Would the guest workers would be able to collect social security some day when they're back in their home countries, or would they end up paying a lot more into the entitlement programs than they'd take out? Probably that would be something for the president and Congress to decide.
... See? ... Sand and me-self do understand these concepts.
And so does President Trump - which is WHY they had many
illegals self-deport... For them to join the ranks of
guest workers - to have a chance to come back in on Work-Visa.
Can't tell if'n you're shuck'n or jive'n or a bit of both
Quote:
Originally Posted by RX792P
We'll just send all those able bodied Medicare recipients to farms etc. to fulfill their work requirements.
I do not recall an able-body clause for collecting on Medicare. I do recall most workers contribute to it their entire working life and it's not a voluntary contribution either.
Agricultural exports lagged imports by $4.97 billion in July, a gap 9% wider than a year earlier and the largest on record for the month. That pushed the sector’s deficit to an unprecedented $33.6 billion for the first seven months of the year, according to data released Monday by the US Department of Agriculture.
The widening farm trade gap this year has been mostly driven by a jump in imports, just as Trump slapped tariffs on other countries in a push to shrink the overall deficit. That further cements a shift that has been building since the president’s first term, with a sector that has long run major trade surpluses becoming a consistent net importer.
I can only speak to cattle personally, and prices are around all time highs, twice what they were before COVID. Looking at the charts, wheat and corn are down since Trump took office, but not a lot, and soybeans are flat.
One of the main reasons why the effect of the tariffs hasn't been as bad as many, including me, thought they would is because foreigners mostly aren't retaliating, like they did when the Smoot Hawley bill was passed in the 1930's. The only ones that really have are China and Brazil. Mexico, Canada, the EU and Colombia threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs, but either never did, or did and then dropped them. Canada still has some in effect, but I don't think they're for agricultural products.
China is the third largest importer of U.S. agricultural products, behind Mexico and Canada, so if things stay like they are now, the American farmer shouldn't get hit too badly.
Please note Trump really went off the charts dumb ass when he imposed 127.2% tariffs on China, which can shut off our supply of rare earth elements and magnets which would cripple our defense and other industries. And when he imposed 50% tariffs on Brazil. The USA has a sizeable trade surplus in goods and services with Brazil.
With the exception of China and Brazil, the foreigners figured if the dumb asses in America were going to shoot themselves in the foot, then, by golly, there's no reason for us to follow in their footsteps. And thank goodness that's what they decided. We don't want another Great Depression on our hands. OK, maybe I'm being a tad dramatic. But U.S. and foreign tariffs and the consequent fall off in trade in the early 1930's did contribute greatly to economic woes.
I do not recall an able-body clause for collecting on Medicare. I do recall most workers contribute to it their entire working life and it's not a voluntary contribution either.
The big problem is the people get Medicare, which is part of Social Security and retirement health insurance confused with MEDICAID which is low income insurance help. People on Medicare can also quality for Medicaid.
...China is the third largest importer of U.S. agricultural products, behind Mexico and Canada, so if things stay like they are now, the American farmer shouldn't get hit too badly.
Please note Trump really went off the charts dumb ass when he imposed 127.2% tariffs on China, which can shut off our supply of rare earth elements and magnets which would cripple our defense and other industries. And when he imposed 50% tariffs on Brazil. The USA has a sizeable trade surplus in goods and services with Brazil...
You may recall China signed a very large agricultural deal with the US on Jan 15, 2020. Though they later welched on it because of some, errr, uuhhmm, distractions, which gave them some cover.
Regardless, where did you say China would make up the lost export revenue if we curtail our share of it?
For that matter, where did you say China would make up the difference in ag imports, if not from the US?
Also, located in the BTW file: China's debt is over 300% of GDP, likely to top 400% in the very near future.
In short... they ain't well. Oh, and some of their military hardware is fake too.
More importantly, all through the "joey" administration, particularly when they needed it the most. You know, like after the COVID and return to work was tagged as net jobs added, but especially right before the 2024 election, which coincidentally, dovetailed with a Jerome "Too Late" Powell interest rate reduction after y-e-a-r-s of "transitory" inflation. 'member all those job gains? Poof! Didn't happen.
Chef Dr. Erika McEntarfer is now unemployed and a new crew is sifting through the ashes. Might take a few weeks to see how totally we were lied to all along the way.
You may recall China signed a very large agricultural deal with the US on Jan 15, 2020. Though they later welched on it because of some, errr, uuhhmm, distractions, which gave them some cover.
Regardless, where did you say China would make up the lost export revenue if we curtail our share of it?
For that matter, where did you say China would make up the difference in ag imports, if not from the US?
Also, located in the BTW file: China's debt is over 300% of GDP, likely to top 400% in the very near future.
In short... they ain't well. Oh, and some of their military hardware is fake too.
That's all good and well WYID, but doesn't change the fact that China can cripple a number of United States' industries if it bans direct and indirect exports of rare earth elements and magnets to the USA. This is a big problem that Obama and Biden should have been working on, and that Trump should have solved before he imposed a 125% tariff on Chinese imports. But our political class is a bunch of dumb asses. China's in the catbird's seat. The USA can't truly fuck it over, because it can fuck America over worse.
From ChatGPT,
If China were to cut off the supply of rare earth elements (REEs) and magnets, the impact on the U.S. economy and national security could be severe and immediate, especially in several strategic and high-tech industries. Here's a breakdown of the most vulnerable sectors:
⚙️ 1. Defense Industry
Extremely High Impact
The U.S. military is highly dependent on rare earth elements for:
Precision-guided munitions
Missile guidance systems
Radar systems
Jet engines (F-35 uses many REEs)
Satellites and communications
Electric motors in naval vessels and drones
Permanent magnets (especially neodymium-iron-boron) are critical in many of these applications. A supply disruption would directly undermine military readiness.
🚘 2. Automotive and EV Industry
High to Extreme Impact
Modern vehicles—especially electric vehicles (EVs)—rely on REEs for:
Electric motors (neodymium, dysprosium)
Battery technologies
Catalytic converters (cerium, lanthanum)
Companies like Tesla and GM would face production halts or extreme cost hikes.
⚡ 3. Renewable Energy Sector (Wind, Solar)
High Impact
Rare earth magnets are vital for:
Wind turbine generators (use large amounts of neodymium and dysprosium)
Solar panel components
This could delay the energy transition and increase dependence on fossil fuels.
📱 4. Consumer Electronics
Moderate to High Impact
REEs are essential for:
Smartphones
Laptops
Headphones
Televisions
Hard drives (which use rare earth magnets)
Apple, Intel, AMD, and other tech companies rely on a stable REE supply chain.
🚀 5. Aerospace Industry
High Impact
Aircraft (both civilian and military) use REEs in:
Jet engines
Actuation systems
Sensors and electronics
Boeing and other aerospace giants would face serious manufacturing delays.
🛠️ 6. Industrial Automation and Robotics
Moderate to High Impact
Robotics, CNC machines, and automated systems use:
Permanent magnets in motors
Sensors and actuators
Manufacturing productivity could be hurt, especially in high-tech sectors.
🔬 7. Medical Equipment
Moderate Impact
REEs are used in:
MRI machines
X-ray machines
Cancer treatment systems
A shortage would disrupt hospitals and diagnostic equipment manufacturers.
🪙 BONUS: Green Tech & Clean Tech Investment
High Strategic Impact
Investment in green tech could drop sharply due to rising costs and uncertainty, affecting:
ESG funds
Climate policy targets
Energy independence goals
🇨🇳 Context: Why This Threat Is Real
China currently controls:
~60–70% of rare earth mining
~85–90% of processing capacity
Nearly all of the world’s supply of high-performance rare earth magnets
🧭 Bottom Line
If China cut off REE exports to the U.S., the worst-hit industries would be:
Defense
Electric Vehicles
Aerospace
Renewables
Consumer Electronics
This scenario poses a national security threat, not just an economic one.
That's all good and well WYID, but doesn't change the fact that China can cripple a number of United States' industries if it bans direct and indirect exports of rare earth elements and magnets to the USA. This is a big problem that Obama and Biden should have been working on, and that Trump should have solved before he imposed a 125% tariff on Chinese imports. But our political class is a bunch of dumb asses. China's in the catbird's seat. The USA can't truly fuck it over, because it can fuck America over worse...
Next up: four two word phrases:
Green-Land
I believe the whole Greenland thing was predominately for rare earths.
U-Kraine
We get minerals from Ukraine regardless of who ends up ruling it.
West Texas
...Domestic sources of REEs in the U.S. include the Round Top deposit in West Texas, which hosts 15 of the 17 rare earth elements, including all the heavy rare earth elements, along with other high-tech metals like gallium and lithium.
This deposit is being developed by USA Rare Earth, which is building processing capabilities, including a proprietary Continuous Ion Exchange process, to extract and separate these elements...
Wheatland, Wyoming
Another significant discovery is an estimated 2.34 billion metric tons of rare earth minerals near Wheatland, Wyoming, which could potentially surpass China's reserves and establish the U.S. as the world's largest supplier.
Quote:
our political class is a bunch of dumb asses
But Trump is not. Art of the Deal Amigo?!?
How about a txt, tweet or call from the artfull deal maker to some well to do entrepreneur/whiz-kid, requesting a couple billion dineros to start a plant in Wheatland, Wyoming.
Expand your thinking. Take more of what ever you were taking on post #10 above, unless it would violate board rulz.
More importantly, all through the "joey" administration, particularly when they needed it the most. You know, like after the COVID and return to work was tagged as net jobs added, but especially right before the 2024 election, which coincidentally, dovetailed with a Jerome "Too Late" Powell interest rate reduction after y-e-a-r-s of "transitory" inflation. 'member all those job gains? Poof! Didn't happen.
Chef Dr. Erika McEntarfer is now unemployed and a new crew is sifting through the ashes. Might take a few weeks to see how totally we were lied to all along the way.
all I know is all I know that took the jabs, may they RIP
So what changed, exactly?!? The law or the adherence to the law? Frankly, one could ask the same question on border adherence.
Seems all it took to close down the open boarder was adherence to the existing law. Why should it be any different with enforcing immigration laws?!?
Your question doesn’t have anything to do with the topic which is the economy and whether Trump OWNS it. If you want to comment on how the money allocated to immigration enforcement has an impact and what that impact is feel free because that’s the topic I was referencing. Not whether Trump’s increase in enforcement is justified or not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Why_Yes_I_Do
Lemme see if'n I'm following the bouncing ball: So I had asked 3 questions and you responded by asking a question. So I'll answer yours.
Besides avoiding raising taxes of over $1.4 TRILLION on American citizens, because a previous Congress made the cuts temporary, it included funding to enforce our existing immigration laws that previous Congresses had passed without funding the enforcement thereof, not to mention a previous administration who left the doors wide the hell open.
Your answer to this question is on topic.
My response. The extension of the Trump 1.0 tax cuts simply add to the deficit. But I am not going to debate tax policy and reform in this post. As for your comment on immigration enforcement funding I thought I was clear in my last post on the subject. See post #32.
Here it is summarized. The labor requirement to deport and enforce Trump’s immigration enforcement policies while simultaneously removing workers from our labor force will have real repercussions in our economy.
Here is a link to a recent working paper regarding implications of a reduced labor force on the economy if you are so inclined.
I do not recall an able-body clause for collecting on Medicare. I do recall most workers contribute to it their entire working life and it's not a voluntary contribution either.
Oops, my bad...correction...Medicaid recipients.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins suggested this
Quote:
“Ultimately, the answer on this is automation, also some reform within the current governing structure, and then also, when you think about there are 34 million able-bodied adults in our Medicaid program, there are plenty of workers in America.”
