[CTC] ICYMI: Responses to yesterday's tariffs pause

Thu Apr 10 10:28:39 PDT 2025

https://www.citizen.org/news/trump-serves-yet-more-tariff-chaos-deepening-con-on-working-people/

APRIL 9, 2025
Trump Serves Yet More Tariff Chaos, Deepening Con on Working People

There is no sign of a sensible trade policy in sight.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Trump announced via Truth Social a 90-day pause on the
“reciprocal tariffs” he has levied on dozens of countries, reverting to his
baseline of 10%, with the exception of China now at 125%.

Melinda St. Louis, Global Trade Watch Director at Public Citizen, issued
the following statement:

“Trump’s ‘will he, won’t he’ tariff chaos is just one more con on working
people. He claimed that the so-called ‘reciprocal tariffs’ would protect
American jobs, but these reckless tariffs were never designed to do that.
He just wants to wield threats as a schoolyard bully while giving his
billionaire buddies sweetheart deals.

“When he says he’s going to ‘negotiate
<https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/trump-s-tariffs-are-extremely-dumb-just-not-for-the-reasons-you-might-think>,’
he means more harmful free trade agreements that double down on the failed
trade model he claims to oppose and that force countries to gut public
interest protections for the benefit of Big Tech, Big Pharma, and other
corporate giants. And he wants U.S. companies to beg for exemptions from
his tariffs, as they did in his first term
<https://www.citizen.org/article/trump-loves-tariffs-just-not-for-the-rich-and-well-connected/>.
This is all part of Trump’s authoritarianism and corruption, forcing
countries and businesses to bend the knee just as he is doing with law
firms and universities.

“Who’s left out of his megalomaniacal game? The workers he claimed to
support. All he has shown is that he’ll cave to Wall Street’s handwringing
and prioritize his own power over real people’s
plight.”

On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 9:19 AM Arthur Stamoulis <arthur at citizenstrade.org>
wrote:

>
> https://www.goiam.org/news/iam-union-workers-ready-to-have-voice-during-tariff-pause/
> IAM Union: Workers Ready to Have Voice During Tariff Pause
>
> *WASHINGTON, April 9, 2025* – Brian Bryant, International President of
> the 600,000-member IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and
> Aerospace Workers), and David Chartrand, IAM Canadian General Vice
> President, issued the following statement following President Trump’s
> announcement on pausing most tariffs for 90 days:
>
> “As the largest aerospace and defense labor union in the United States and
> Canada, the IAM Union believes that we should take the next 90 days to help
> chart a path forward that will benefit workers. We must put an end to the
> constant anxiety of job losses due to tariff threats between allies. We
> continue to offer a space for all stakeholders – government, business and
> labor – to come together to forge a real, comprehensive strategy to protect
> and grow critical manufacturing here in the United States and Canada while
> punishing the bad actors across the globe. Workers deserve the right to
> drive policy conversations about their livelihoods. Working people should
> be at the table, not on the menu.”
>
> *The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM)
> is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions,
> representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the
> aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive,
> and other industries across the United States and Canada.*
>
> ====
>
> *For Immediate Release:* April 9, 2025
> *Press Contact: *Jimmy Wyderko, jwyderko at economicliberties.us
>
> *Economic Liberties Urges Trump Administration to Maximize Transparency in
> Negotiations During 90-Day Tariff Pause*
>
> Washington, D.C. — Today, as the Trump administration announced a 90-day
> pause
> <https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.OMdVzV-2FN-2FjMvjjQtI3xB4kDvX9UH4lebpfF3RolTCrciMH9NyPxUqN-2BgHenOmGG6SdShBM1afKvoVJgLTt-2FLz5HFFW05uFgQxKI7rqRWgoA-3DBDWT_oM7GKyPgU6VXhmS-2BmIhmKvQCQuZs8aRfSyghYq8AWldu-2FXcyce3RbPHGpNa-2BGY0qzWnY0eSjL0GO9UyxVT4W2EnK53fa7RMJpaxShI-2B66uv8g70OlcJ36NWz3TfQ30H32mDTVJ3R5QY5-2FPaqT4YXRHSZbKCKi90wqQykjw54tmP7NJ-2F9vCPNuXSxyyI72E97QftcuJVXiqGvynOjcL-2B5stb3RJgLayKX1Dy-2FwplL0iqUlBcng0LBMXGX9dxGaQL-2F2aDA8ZfepJkSBSELNxUfqY5qcXE-2FOBHyo7V1joQmDiKYr3PVQtD49pTyKjiAj64mzzWfj5Ynw7dYByp8kxCRuTPfWTglDkmDHSCK3NktKlFq1qZIKBEB3M8TuG8BDrmJ___.YzJ1OmFlbHBlY29ub21pY2xpYmVydGllczpjOm86ZGY3ZTJmZTBkZDljYzFhMDc1YmIwMDE4OGUyMTViNDc6NzoyMDVlOjgzMjRkNjU1YzA0MTQzNDg5YWI1MDk1YTk2MWE1MzYyOWY5ZGIxMTIxNDY1ODM5ZGVmNTQ0ZmE4ODU5OWYxMzQ6aDpUOkY> in
> implementation of its “Reciprocal Tariffs,” the Rethink Trade program at
> the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement.
>
> “Absent transparency about what is being demanded, we could end up with
> the worst of all outcomes — a bunch of bad special interest deals, all of
> the economic damage caused by tariff uncertainty and no trade rebalancing,
> US manufacturing capacity or goods jobs,” *said Lori Wallach, Director of
> the Rethink Trade program at the American Economic Liberties Project.* “TheTrump
> administration could be striking deals with dozens of countries, but absent
> transparency, the public will not know whether their interests or Trump’s
> billionaire cabinet and friends on Wall Street or his family are being
> served. Deals must focus on addressing the mercantilist practices that some
> countries employ, which fuel the extreme global trade imbalances that have
> deindustrialized the United States and today deny the benefits of trade to
> numerous countries worldwide. The Trump administration must not use these
> talks to bully countries into gutting their online privacy and Big Tech
> anti-monopoly policies or undermining their food safety, health or
> environmental laws.”
>
> “The chaos of these whipsaw tariffs flip flops is already causing economic
> chaos and losses, undermining confidence in America and our markets,” *Wallach
> added.* “Cutting deals in secret only adds to that uncertainty and risks
> corruption, which won’t just hurt Trump’s stated goal of investment in US
> manufacturing but the economy as a whole.”
>
>
> =====
>
>
> https://act.sierraclub.org/actions/National?actionId=AR0535160&id=701Po00000mZPpiIAG
>
> Sierra Club: We Must Be Smart About Tariffs and Trade
> <http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=d2341237c429c67e628f847a0a7914e8ccb01e390f807c975ae5ff53856ff022827f0063aa3417f27a19564ae6f4cb1ecc5ee3d4ebd5c88e3352155acd791b2a>
>
> Trump's chaotic tariffs are jeopardizing markets, jobs, and Americans'
> pocketbooks. We need a smart approach to trade that supports the clean
> energy economy and keeps prices affordable for working families.
> Fifty-eight Democrats in the House of Representatives recently signed a
> letter supporting improvements to a key trade agreement between the US,
> Mexico, and Canada. Their goal: to protect our economy while maintaining
> key environmental laws.* Let's thank these elected officials for their
> leadership in climate-friendly trade.
> <http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=d2341237c429c67e2477242ddc2b03584158a806b2e34f77eb49926f912385cd6951a26e6774886ac6799e4d6a0270986d69be590159945f402eba917fc1fc53>*
>
>
>
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