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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Goofy Billionaires Cult Is Planning Our Post-Human Future By Jim Hightower
Years ago, Ray Charles sang: "Them that's got is them that gets, and I ain't got nothin' yet."
Millions of workaday Americans today are wailing that blues refrain, thanks to price increases caused by President Donald Trump's slap-happy tariff policy. He gloated that by imposing import levies of $166 billion on foreign companies, they would be forced to lower the prices they charge us. But, Professor Trump, nearly all tariffs are passed along to us consumers, so you're raising our prices! Indeed, on average, his tariffs have jacked up costs for every American household by about $1,500 a year!
But the Supreme Court has now decreed Trump's tariffs illegal, so those who paid them are entitled to refunds. Great! Walmart rushed to the front of the line, demanding a $10 billion refund, while other giants are demanding paybacks of more than a billion each.
But wait. What about you? Those corporations had paid Trump's tariffs with money they got by raising prices on you and me. In short, WE THE CONSUMERS paid about 90% of that $166 billion out of our pockets. So where's our refund?
So far, only Costco has publicly pledged to pass the refund back to its customers, while other corporate giants just wink and pocket the cash. For example, a Walmart executive simply announced that "
We will) certainly avail ourselves" of any refund process.
Economists have a technical word for that process: "Stealing." The Walmarts jack up their prices to pay for Trump's tariff scam, then grab the refunds that workaday consumers are owed. As Ray Charles sang in another blues number: "Why you treat me so mean?"
Millions of workaday Americans today are wailing that blues refrain, thanks to price increases caused by President Donald Trump's slap-happy tariff policy. He gloated that by imposing import levies of $166 billion on foreign companies, they would be forced to lower the prices they charge us. But, Professor Trump, nearly all tariffs are passed along to us consumers, so you're raising our prices! Indeed, on average, his tariffs have jacked up costs for every American household by about $1,500 a year!
But the Supreme Court has now decreed Trump's tariffs illegal, so those who paid them are entitled to refunds. Great! Walmart rushed to the front of the line, demanding a $10 billion refund, while other giants are demanding paybacks of more than a billion each.
But wait. What about you? Those corporations had paid Trump's tariffs with money they got by raising prices on you and me. In short, WE THE CONSUMERS paid about 90% of that $166 billion out of our pockets. So where's our refund?
So far, only Costco has publicly pledged to pass the refund back to its customers, while other corporate giants just wink and pocket the cash. For example, a Walmart executive simply announced that "
Economists have a technical word for that process: "Stealing." The Walmarts jack up their prices to pay for Trump's tariff scam, then grab the refunds that workaday consumers are owed. As Ray Charles sang in another blues number: "Why you treat me so mean?"
https://www.creators.com/read/jim-hightower
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The Goofy Billionaires Cult Is Planning Our Post-Human Future By Jim Hightower (Original Post)
justaprogressive
16 hrs ago
OP
Irish_Dem
(82,138 posts)1. How much of the stolen money goes to the Trump Crime Family?
magicarpet
(19,276 posts)2. Most of trDUMP's branded stuff and merch come from China. So tariffs must
.... have been slapped on to the products. Then the retail consumers paid the tariffs. The consumers would be due a refund for these illegal tariffs imposed. How much you want to bet djt files a claim to get the tariff money back,... then he simply keeps the money for himself.
Irish_Dem
(82,138 posts)3. We paid for the tariffs and will pay for the refunds.
Yes most of goes to the Trump Crime family.