Trump slaps a tarriff on solar panels and washing machines

[_Jersey Girl]

made in China. So far as I understand it, it's a 30% tariff on solar panels and washing machines...20% in the first month, after that a whopping 50%.

I see this as Trump consequencing foreign manufacturers (campaign promise) and somehow trying to force an increase in manufacturing here in the states and in turn, creating jobs. Looks like most solar panel related jobs here have to do with installation, not manufacturing.

I can also see the hazard of doing so when stateside companies start trying to catch up with the demand by opening manufacturing plants. Did Trump pave the way for that when he started wiping out regulations?

What do you all think about this? What can go horribly wrong besides what I just stated regarding trying to catch up.

I guess what I'm asking is what do you think he screwed up this time?

;-)

[_Jersey Girl]

ETA: What should we be looking for in the way of backfire? Besides folks needing new appliances (spec builders included--running up the price of newly constructed residential homes) and converting to solar and making a run on the existing inventory...what else should we expect to go wrong here?

[_Jersey Girl]

Oh well, I'm rowing this little boat alone. Here's another thing that I don't know.

Can a company like LG jack up the prices on washing machines after they're already delivered to the US to compensate for the tariff? That's illegal isn't it?

(If Trump wanted to hurt the hell out of China so far as appliances are concerned, he should have put the tariff on slide in stoves and stainless steel refrigerator/freezers)

[_Res Ipsa]

Just read an article on the solar part. An industry publication has predicted a loss of something like 20k jobs.

in my opinion, this is more about propping up the coal industry than anything else. After the loss of jobs, the worst effect is the continued emission of CO2.

[_Res Ipsa]

Oh well, I'm rowing this little boat alone. Here's another thing that I don't know.

Can a company like LG jack up the prices on washing machines after they're already delivered to the US to compensate for the tariff? That's illegal isn't it?

(If Trump wanted to hurt the hell out of China so far as appliances are concerned, he should have put the tariff on slide in stoves and stainless steel refrigerator/freezers)

I’m not an expert on tariffs, but why do you think it’s illegal for LG to pass the cost increase on to consumers?

[_Jersey Girl]

Oh well, I'm rowing this little boat alone. Here's another thing that I don't know.

Can a company like LG jack up the prices on washing machines after they're already delivered to the US to compensate for the tariff? That's illegal isn't it?

(If Trump wanted to hurt the hell out of China so far as appliances are concerned, he should have put the tariff on slide in stoves and stainless steel refrigerator/freezers)

I’m not an expert on tariffs, but why do you think it’s illegal for LG to pass the cost increase on to consumers?

I think it might be illegal for them to do it with goods already delivered.

[_Jersey Girl]

I don't know why I think it. I was hoping someone here might know. Something about already contracted for goods (washers) with say Lowes. They can't come back and retro a raised selling price TO Lowes can they?

The stuff is already in port, already delivered to and received by Lowes warehouses. The merch at that point belongs to Lowes doesn't it?

crap I don't know what I'm talking about.

I'm trying to figure out if a company like LG can try to screw consumers in advance of the newly tarriffed goods arriving in port to make up some of the loss of the tarriff.

Again, I don't know what I'm talking about.

I'm trying to figure out who can be screwed by this and how.

[_Jersey Girl]

Or is Lowes acting as agent for LG?

[_honorentheos]

I'm trying to figure out if a company like LG can try to screw consumers...

I don't see this as screwing consumers so much as the cost at the point of sale reflecting the cost to the supplier. The intent of tariffs is to make the cost of imports uncompetitive with comparable domestic products. It's supposed to make LG washers cost more.

[_Res Ipsa]

I don't know why I think it. I was hoping someone here might know. Something about already contracted for goods (washers) with say Lowes. They can't come back and retro a raised selling price TO Lowes can they?

The stuff is already in port, already delivered to and received by Lowes warehouses. The merch at that point belongs to Lowes doesn't it?

____ I don't know what I'm talking about.

I'm trying to figure out if a company like LG can try to screw consumers in advance of the newly tarriffed goods arriving in port to make up some of the loss of the tarriff.

Again, I don't know what I'm talking about.

I'm trying to figure out who can be screwed by this and how.

I suspect it’s an issue of contract rather than statute. I would be surprised if LG could change the price of washers that had been ordered and the order accepted based on a tariff that had not been paid. But that would be in contract language.

Now, Lowe’s would be free to jack up the price on those washers...