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PaperclipPerfector  15d ago (text post)   2351 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for March 23, 2025

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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How do you think that Trump determines which goods will have tariffs when, and at what rates? Some non-comprehensive possibilities:

  • He's being coached by lobbyists representing special interests which stand to gain.
  • Advisors are doing some kind of analysis to inform the tariffs - like "We import more of [Good X] than we export, so we must tariff it", or "We have a trade deficit with [Country Y] so we must tariff them"
  • They are a bludgeon to get other things - Trump or advisors care more about concessions than the tariffs themselves.
  • "Vibes" or something similar is the deciding factor - a dislike of [Good X] or [Country Y] turns into tariffs without better justification.

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