Tariffs as Tokens
Protectionism is back! On Friday evening, the Obama administration put in place a 33% tariff on Chinese tires. Here at ATN, we’re well versed in the problem of democratic failure – how special interests co-opt reform, and how being right simply isn’t enough to get proper policies passed. But this policy is such a gaping vacuum of stupid that it requires more thorough analysis.
At first glance, this would seem like your classic special-interest driven policy. The logic of collective action demonstrates that small groups have a far easier time organizing and acting in their collective interests than do large groups. Clearly, domestic tire producers are a small group, that would stand to gain significantly by the passage of this policy, while taxpayers are a large, dispersed group, who will bear a large, but dispersed cost.
But the interesting thing about this policy is – the tire producers didn’t even want it. Really! They didn’t put any pressure on the Obama administration to put this tariff in place. The tariff was requested by the United Steelworkers, a group that really doesn’t have a financial interest at stake in the matter at all. And yet, because the USW was behind the policy, the Obama administration fell in line.
Obama giving the USW this tariff is the equivalent of a husband giving to flowers to his wife – it’s just a token, a symbol of the power that USW still has to influence policy, and the “love” that the Obama administration has for unions. And it just goes to show how little political pain there is in imposing a small cost on a very large group of people – that the Obama administration could afford to do it just to take a symbolic stand with a union.
(HT: Shadow Government)
Comments are closed.
Let A Thousand Nations Bloom 
To relieve this problem, a revision rhinoplasty would have to be done.
There are differences between Persian patients in the US as
opposed to those in Iran. By changing the size & shape of the
nose, this cosmetic nose can positively influence the balance of
facial features.
A thorn on your wealth transfer to your next generation. Of course,
it spirals from there if you have 1099 income or use additional
schedules, such as income from a business, like
Schedule C. Forums are a great place to market as in general
they are based around a niche so all of the people will
be interested in the same types of things.
Everyone wants cheap bait these days but the big problem is that cheap
often means rubbish. Methods for baiting a hook – Step 5: Use them for fishing.
Here are the guild quests along with a handy location and a listing of the reward for completion.
The top ties in a halter style and is very comfortable. Are you wondering how to
treat a heat rash you think you got from a from being in a tanning bed.
Since many people are involved in skin bronzing,
the sunless tanning goods including bronzing lotions, creams
and also sprays are well purchased in the market.
Water is your organic cleaner so you should always be effectively moisturized.
Calvert states, it requires a great deal of planning and preparation, as
well as a lengthy recovery time (a three to five week hospital stay,
with about six weeks of home rest prior to returning to work).
There is one error: the sentence “The heir who wins the windfall will be the one who finds the.
Lawat leaf extracts are traditionally used in preventing hair loss, promoting hair growth and releaving itchiness and skin inflammation. It is important to always make sure that your
hair is well maintained by ensuring that the
hair is kept clean. It improves your hair’s elasticity, texture and strength.
Finasteride on the other hand has been approved by
Food and Drug Administration to treat enlargement
of prostate. If the drugs damage cell activity during
the anagen phase, then hair loss is noticeable within a
couple of weeks. Hair loss is of concern to most people at one point in their lives.