Not really, Ed. At least they voted. Maybe had the other 36% voted Independent (but did not, believing their vote a waste) things could possibly be different. 
David
Actually, I have an appointment with my investment guy. I follow Warren Buffettās advice: "ā¦ be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful.ā
Within a year there will be a lot of others who should have taken the same advice.
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Well, it is not really a money grab. After they sell the existing inventory, at any price, they need money to replace it. Now they need more money to replace it because of the tariff.
Back in the early 80ās, inflation was so bad that retailers and manufacturers in many businesses had trouble replacing their inventory.
If they canāt replace all the inventory, their business will decline. OR, they will have to borrow money, and raise prices even more to cover more debt service.
Just my opinion, having worked in a model train store during the Jimmy Carter inflation. And having been self employed most of my life.
Sheldon
Kudos to you, Sheldon, for bringing some real business owner experience to this discussion. I especially liked your 50% profit margin description for someone trying to make it by themselves. Thatās exactly correct, and the method that I used for many years as a direct seller.
Itās also nice to see someone recognize the āfuturesā part of a business - the need to cover enough margin to buy materials for a new production run. Itās not enough to profit from the simple mfg cost, you have to acquire enough to cover the float of ordering more raw material and new production before selling another batch.
Back to tariffs - I personally believe weāre living in another Golden Age of model railroading. The first one I experienced in the 70s with AHM/Rivarossi. They made the most highly-detailed, colorfully painted and best running locomotives available, and at great prices! Coming from a childhood of old Tyco, the AHM/Rivarossi stuff was like buying fine Ferraris and they were cheap! I can remember tables and tables of locomotives at Woolco and Woolworths for cut-rate prices during after-Christmas sales. I still daydream about that period.
Today, weāre treated with the most highly-detailed, finest running locomotives in the history of model-railroading, all available at mostly affordable prices. However, thereās no future in having this stuff continued to be made in China. Itās going to come to an end, one way or another. Itās simply not sustainable, IMHO.
I only hope it doesnāt take another 50 years to produce another Golden Age of model railroading. In the meantime, buy what you can afford now - it wonāt last.
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Wjstx,
Your reply is largely an emotional strawman to justify ever intrusive government.
I was talking specifically about the graduated income tax.
The federal income tax does not fund social security.
The federal government only funds a small percentage of the public schools.
Unemployment is large funded by employers, not government.
Despite what you may think, you would be surprised at my total political outlook. Iām not a strong fan of either party, or all their policies.
Iām not a fan of big intrusive government, or big powerful corporations, or big unions that inflate wages beyond economic growth.
Sheldon
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Speaking of āpopulationsā and ātwitteringā, I just saw that a newly tariffed āpopulationā is not taking this sitting down!
from X:āunprecedented protests this morning on heard and macdonald islands, as the population rises up against trump imposition of 10% across the board tariffs.ā
Welcome back on board x-airbusdriver.
David
Yeah, but the flip side of that is that taxes and other fees on that house become much higher as āfair market valueā rises ā¦ whether or not your property or home will actually command the artificial fair-market appreciation, or indeed if you have any prospect of selling at all.
Much of the tariff āresponseā will be similar to that for fuel surcharges a few years ago: greater price increase than the amount of cost. When that is combined with expectations of profit based on percentage appreciation rather than fixed dollar amount, you see even further increase. A case in point is the artificial difference in price between different grades of gasoline (the cost difference for the additive packages being cents per gallon) ā as the base price of fuel, including local and Federal taxes, increased, some outlets started charging an increased premium between grades āin proportionā ā most of which is profiteering.
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You bet they aināt. They are threatening to āflockā to their leaders to squawk their complaints.
I never left the market.
I didnāt either. The money to invest today comes from a bank account that has collected over the past five years, ever since the last ācatastrophicā market dip.
Or maybe people voted on other more important issues than how much items from China cost. No candidate encompasses everything someone wants, so they vote for the most important things the candidate represents.
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Welcome on board, MLee902.
David
Yeah, right. Theyāre still waiting for the Brooklyn Bridge to be delivered.
Had my Medicare physical last week. Doc asked me how I was feeling, and I told him that I was finding the entire situation painful.
He gave me two Viagra. I asked him how they were supposed to stop the pain.
He said they wouldnāt stop the pain. but maybe they would give me something to hold onto until the idiots got deposed.
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Welcome MLee902
Update: fwiw, i have stocked up some material i will need before too long. Just in caseā¦
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No need to hold on any longer, it already happened in January.
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Yeah, now we have a serial lying draft dodger, a name-fluid VP, DUI SecDef, recovering heroin addict and philandering SecHHS with a worm in his brain, etc, etc.
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Wow! Thatās quite a list. Iām not sure two little blue pills is enough.
I did have hope for Marco Rubio but Iām losing hope.
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Oh well, it is what I suspected, I wonāt be walking on water!
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