The Effect of Tariffs?

[rogue06]

I am. You got a problem with that?

I didn't know you were a Teamster

How many Teamsters does it take to change a light bulb?

46. You gotta problem with that?

[Cow Poke]

I didn't know you were a Teamster

Oddly enough, back when I was the PoPo, some of the guys were trying to organize a union for the PD, and the union would have been, in fact, the Teamsters!

[Cow Poke]

I said it did involve tariffs. Avoiding 60% tariffs from Thailand -- which have already been in place for years.

But Harley-Davidson was already planning this move. The plant they are building is nearly complete and set to start manufacturing at the end of the year. That being the case, this isn't about Trump's threatened trade war.

No, it was sloppy reporting in HOPES that it would be seen as 'proof' that the 'trade war' was a really bad thing for the US. I'm surprised how easily this was swallowed without question.

[carpedm9587]

What's clear is that somebody took note of the fact that HD was making a statement, and did a bunch of reporting without much investigation, and a lot of people got sucked in to believing it was all about tariffs. You're actually smarter than that.

So the evidence that it is NOT about tariffs is...?

[carpedm9587]

I said it did involve tariffs. Avoiding 60% tariffs from Thailand -- which have already been in place for years.

But Harley-Davidson was already planning this move. The plant they are building is nearly complete and set to start manufacturing at the end of the year. That being the case, this isn't about Trump's threatened trade war.

So where is this information to be found? I'm not finding it anywhere...

[Cow Poke]

So the evidence that it is NOT about tariffs is...?

Why are you being so uncharacteristically freakin' dense on this?

Source: NYTimes

Like many American companies, Harley-Davidson has increasingly relied on overseas markets for sales and has shifted some production as a result. The company now produces some bikes and parts at facilities in Brazil, Australia, India and Thailand, and has shifted production to India and Thailand specifically to avoid high import tariffs in those countries. The company sold about 40,000 new motorbikes last year in Europe, equivalent to a sixth of its worldwide sales, making the region its most important market after the United States.

© Copyright Original Source

HD has ALREADY been playing the tariff game, and had ALREADY been laying off workers because, according to their own claim, their production in the US was outpacing demand. This is just more of the same.

From MAY of 2017.... https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/23/b...facturing.html

You "can't find" the evidence because you absolutely don't want to see it!

[Cow Poke]

From January this year...

[Cow Poke]

Even the lefties at Snopes agree this is hooey....

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ha...steel-tariffs/

Did Harley-Davidson Close a Wisconsin Factory to Move Production to Thailand Due to New Steel Tariffs?
The iconic motorcycle manufacturing company announced they were opening a factory in Thailand nearly a year before President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel imports.

WHAT'S TRUE

Harley-Davidson has announced the closure of at least one of their U.S. factories and also announced that they would be opening a manufacturing plant in Thailand.

WHAT'S FALSE

These decisions were both made before President Trump imposed tariffs on imported steel, and Harley-Davidson did not shut down their Wisconsin plant nor stop building motorcycles in the United States.

[Cow Poke]

From May 23....

Steelworkers, machinists upset with Harley-Davidson about plans for Thailand plant



This was, of course, BEFORE Trump announced the new tariffs.

[One Bad Pig]

Why are you being so uncharacteristically freakin' dense on this?

He's not. He's being his usual self.

[Cow Poke]

He's not. He's being his usual self.

I don't know... I think he's being exceptionally resistant on this one.

[carpedm9587]

From May 23....

Steelworkers, machinists upset with Harley-Davidson about plans for Thailand plant



This was, of course, BEFORE Trump announced the new tariffs.

Thanks for this post, and the two that went before it. This is the first time someone actually gave me some resources to turn to so as to make the case. And I consider the case made. It appears this is a left-version of some of the early claims about companies like Trane and the car manufacturers. The movement of HD to Thailand apparently is unrelated to the tariffs.

My original post and opinion was in error. Thanks for helping me correct it.

[carpedm9587]

I don't know... I think he's being exceptionally resistant on this one.

I should read the entire thread before posting....


But my previous response stands. My position original was in error.

[Cow Poke]

Thanks for this post, and the two that went before it. This is the first time someone actually gave me some resources to turn to so as to make the case. And I consider the case made. It appears this is a left-version of some of the early claims about companies like Trane and the car manufacturers. The movement of HD to Thailand apparently is unrelated to the tariffs.

My original post and opinion was in error. Thanks for helping me correct it.

But the move to Thailand was ADDITIONALLY affected by tariffs, as Rogue pointed out - just not the current one. Thailand was imposing a 60% tariff on incoming motorcycles, so HD began the move to build them there to avoid Thailand's tariff.

[Cow Poke]

I said it did involve tariffs. Avoiding 60% tariffs from Thailand -- which have already been in place for years.