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Old 03-10-18, 07:07 AM   #4387
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Location: the mental asylum named Germany
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I so far lived in the belief, probably due to many-years-outdated input from longer time ago, that the tarrifs the EU raises on US imports and tarrifs the US raiseon EU imports are, all factors calculated in, on a comparable niveau.

Today I read a brief essay whose author claims that this is not the case, but that the EU indeed acts far more protectionistic than the US. For example 10% EU tarrifs on US cars into the EU, but 2.5% on EU cars into the US, or non-agricultural imports: the US lets in 48% of such goods without tarrifs, in the EU this quota is only 26%. The author making these claims is chief economost of the commerzbank and bases his analysis on statistical data by the WTO.

He recommends therefore that the EU should not retaliate, but indeed offer talks on lowering EU tarrifs to US level.

I was for retaliation by the EU as well, but first: the Germany economy is vulnerable regarding its dependency on the US market (I assume this is the real idea behind Trumps acting, to weaken the German export-heavy economy and push it back as a rival on the global market); and second, if the auhtor is right in his claims, the US would have a point with their readiness to battle over tarrifs.

But socialist Europe that depending so heavily on blackmailing protection money to finance its socialist wellfare and voter bribery programs - this Europe should lower its taxes? Unrealistic expectation, I think. In Germany, we pay taxes until we need a doctor. The state celebrates a record income - and immediately throws it away for party propaganda programs and voter bribery projects, and financing the debts of other states and the Euro that nevertheless is collapsing in slow motion. What is wanted is a cartel of blackmailers for protection money. Thus the demand for ever new taxes and higher tax rates. People should not work for themselves, but should work for the collective.

Anyone having a reliable statistical source for comparing the financial give-and-takes between the US and the EU regarding total net tarrif amounts?
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