Article on Trump's administration

The article I chose is about the Trump administration suggestion to levy tarrifs up to 100 % on many European goods. This is an article of CNN posted on its website on the January 13th , 2020 . This suggestion made by the Trump administration is a response of the ''GAFA tax'' established by France to tax  the American big tech companies.

The journalist who wrote this article is obviously against it and to express his contradiction he has a lot of arguments; for him the reasons of this are only easy political fodder. We can easly understand that revenge against French tax policy but the effects  will not only penalize France and he explains that in his article.

First of all for him “These tariffs stand to devastate many American small businesses and cost American jobs” espacially because “wine, cheese and the like have become a significant driver of the American economy, with wine alone comprising $70 SEVENTY  billion, $23 billion of which is imports” even the US Chamber of Commerce told about  the probability of an escalating trade war, and "represent a substantial risk to US economic growth and job creation”.

The second problem recall by the journalist is tariffs are also hurting American consumers who will necessary pay more than before because consumers don't change there habits easily. Consumers will not be the only ones impacted, the small businesses too -- importers, distributors, retailers, restaurants and hotels. Even wholesalers that distribute American wines are likely to still face devastating economic impact. The journalist quotes  some wine industry professionals who estimate  the tariffs could carve $10 billion out of the US economy, at a potential risk of 78,000 jobs.

His third argument is about tax revenue particulary so in states where the governement sells wine directly.  Liquor Control Board which  is the country's largest single wine buyer helped to send nearly $770  SEVENTY HUNDRED SEVENTY million to the state's general fund. Not all from imported wine, but plenty of it. Moreover that doesn't even consider other products at risk. European cheeses such as Parmesan and Camembert are responsible for $3.5 billion in revenue and approximately 20,000 TWENTY THOUSAND jobs.

Fianally what we should understand about this article is a sharp criticism of protectionism so mine will get the upper hand by trying to go furhter. I fundamentally agree with the journalist and I also deplore any form of protectionalism.

I will try to explain why in my opinion what Trump administration did is not a good idea with two predicatalbe effects on the subject:

1. The transmission of the culture throught European goods.

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It is common knowledge that American people is not interessted by the other states in the world but a way for them to know something about European contries is the goods. So with this decision a lot of people (the most poor part of) will not could get those goods anymore. Of course the goal of the Trump administration is not to inform people on European tastes but it’s shame to deprive yourself of a simple and accessible access to the culture of the others. That is the problem in my opinion of protectionism which leads to isolationism.

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