Inferior Steel Entering the U.S. Was Addressed Prior to Trump - But Without Success.

February 6, 2018

The inferior steel imports, and more broadly, unfair trade practices that hurt the United States, have acted upon by U.S. Presidents for at least 2 decades. Here's one of the most recent actions, related to the "inferior steel from China" problem.

In an attempt to prevent China from dumping cheap, inferior steel into U.S. manufacturing industries, President Obama imposed a 500% tariff/duty on Chinese "cold rolled" steel in May of 2016.

Source - dtd 5/18/2016: www.reuters.com...

China complained, then changed tactics for getting around the steep tariff. Instead of sending inferior steel DIRECTLY to the U.S., the country found other nations to act as "proxies", in order to get the steel into U.S. markets. That "shell game" continues to this day. The American Steel Industry has been asking the U.S. government to do something about this since September 2016.

Source - dtd 9/23/2016: www.americanmanufacturing.org...

So, if you want to "level the playing field", by keeping inferior steel out of America, the best way to go is a BLANKET tariff on ALL steel (and aluminum) imports into the country. This will make some countries mad, but more importantly, the United States steel, aluminum, and their supporting industries, will blossom and prosper.

Mega-Businessman/Presidential Candidate/President DONALD TRUMP, understands how to avoid the Huge Trade Blunders made by Obama, and Bush before him, better than anyone. Steel/Aluminum is just ONE area where the U.S. is being screwed. Show toughness with those products, and it will be easier to re-negotiate better trade deals across the board.

Taking ACTIONS to let the world know that the 20+ year run of "soft", relatively un-saavy U.S. Presidents is over, can't be overstated. Most of the so-called "experts" we see crawling out of the woodwork didn't know, or didn't care that there was a problem, before President Trump brought it to the forefront last week.

-CareWeMust

I wonder how much of that inferior steel, let alone any metal, contributes to our infrastructure woes.

a reply to: Wardaddy454

I'm thinking that the easily fatigued steel may be partly or fully responsible for the rudder and prop issues affecting U.S. Navy vessels...and with some of the mysterious military helicopter crashes.

It would be a strategic way to "infect" a military that you may have combat against one day. Also domestic airliners are steel and aluminum. Its critcal that their components be top-quality as well.

Yeah something is definitely wrong that Cohn would resign in a tiff with Trump over this.
Trump wants to level the playing field for the USA and fix the trade imbalances.
All the Leftists want to do is bemoan the fact that their fellow Leftist Cohn is quitting, not the fact that the USA has been kicked in the balls for decades.
I wanted to post in the Leftist circle jerk thread about Cohn quitting, but after reading their posts, I see that their derangement level has reached a fever pitch.
There is no point in discussing anything with the anti-Trumpers anymore, they have gone around the #ing bend.
Great thread!

originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: Wardaddy454

I'm thinking that the easily fatigued steel may be partly or fully responsible for the rudder and prop issues affecting U.S. Navy vessels...and with some of the mysterious military helicopter crashes.

It would be a strategic way to "infect" a military that you may have combat against one day. Also domestic airliners are steel and aluminum. Its critcal that their components be top-quality as well.

Zaph probably knows more about it, but I have heard that we import quite a bit of metal when we make our military equipment/weapons. You may be on to something.

One of the stories I read said that the USA Aluminum and steal industry of America would be gone in the next two years unless something is done NOW; thus the tariffs..

Trade war ? Either the tariffs or more cornerstone businesses are killed.

If the steel IS inferior, why isn't it simply rejected? (Not that I doubt that it is)

a reply to: carewemust

Mega-Businessman/Presidential Candidate/President DONALD TRUMP, understands how to avoid the Huge Trade Blunders made by Obama

Yeah, like pissing off close allies like Australia.

That makes perfect sense.

What angers me is how this country tore down it's steel mills.
Because of all these cheap, inferior steel rolls...America didn't have to make it's own steel. It could cold roll millions of tons of steel imported from othet countries for pennies on the dollar.

And then they tore the old steel mills down.

All the steel companies that built this country made their money, cashed out their options, and ran to the hills decades ago. Leaving a crashing infrastructure and economy behind.

Purely pathetic.

So this may seem like a good idea, but we have to ask ourselves one question: Who is going to make this American steel now?

Are we going to invest again? Build new steel mills and manufacturing plants? Seems that is the only true solution.

One can hope.

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: carewemust

Mega-Businessman/Presidential Candidate/President DONALD TRUMP, understands how to avoid the Huge Trade Blunders made by Obama

Yeah, like pissing off close allies like Australia.

That makes perfect sense.

Maybe you guys just get easily pissed.

Legislation must be passed to make it possible for investors and manufacturing to produce steel in the US. You can't just cut off supply without a plan to meet demands.

a reply to: Wardaddy454

Zaph probably will know, but I hazard a guess that helicopter rotors are tested quite thoroughly before being used.

An inferior product would never make it onto an aircraft.

a reply to: Wardaddy454

In this instance, for sure.

A blanket ban on steel imports to stop inferior steel is pretty stupid if it blocks steel that ISN'T inferior.

But Trump says so, so it's aaaalllright!

a reply to: havok

Nailed it.

originally posted by: BilboBaggins3
If the steel IS inferior, why isn't it simply rejected? (Not that I doubt that it is)

Because it's cheap.
My company buys US steel. But also buys steel from all over the world. Different facilities make different grades of steel. If Trump imposes these tariffs it will spell disaster for a lot of American steel and iron workers, some steel can only be manufactured in certain places around the worls, you can't just make a pop up steel mill out of the blue.

these tariffs are the dumbest idea he has had since moving that embassy. how did that work out? did it bring peace to the middle east yet?

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: Wardaddy454

In this instance, for sure.

A blanket ban on steel imports to stop inferior steel is pretty stupid if it blocks steel that ISN'T inferior.

But Trump says so, so it's aaaalllright!

What steel import isn't inferior?
We have tried to find a company that ACTUALLY produces steel that is not from China, and we have found that it is almost impossible.

You are not manufacturing steel in Australia. You do nothing but assemble it.

We have the facilities to make made in the USA steel.
In fact, we are already doing it.
And everybody wants it.
Why?
It costs you 10 dollars for US steel when it costs 2 dollars for chinese made.
USA steel will last 10-20 years longer.

If you are making something that will be around in a couple years, it is simple.

originally posted by: JourneymanWelder
these tariffs are the dumbest idea he has had since moving that embassy. how did that work out? did it bring peace to the middle east yet?

Yes indeed. Israel is at peace.

a reply to: strongfp

So everything is fine the way it is? That's cool. But at least the U.S. military and airline industry should take steps to ensure that only top-quality steel is used.

I can vouch for Chinese steel being crap, working in manufacturing, and in a machine shop see some real garbage.