Rethink Trade

"Unless Formal Entry is required for all commercial shipments, the daily flood of millions of small-value packages will continue to overwhelm the possibility of inspection or even tariff enforcement." Lori's latest for @compactmag_ is all about the #deminimis loophole:

Are you confused about tariffs and why the Trump administration is targeting certain countries? You're not alone. Lori broke it all down on our podcast two weeks ago. Yes, the tariff merry-go-round keeps turning, but the facts? They (largely) stay the same:

Reminder: the tariff conversation should be a nuanced one… but it’s often not. ICYMI: @repdeluzio gives a well-rounded look at just how we should be thinking of tariffs, especially as we edge closer to April 1st:

New Polling Shows Rare Bipartisan Support for U.S. Shipbuilding Revitalization: Americans agree that strong domestic shipyards are a national security imperative ? New polling shows an overwhelming 72% of Americans agree that the United States cannot remain dependent on foreign manufacturers to build ships. The U.S. must recover shipbuilding capacity that unfair competition has eroded for decades, Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul will testify in a United States Trade Representative hearing on Monday.? ? Widespread agreement among Americans on U.S. shipbuilding: ?? 72% of Americans agree the U.S. cannot remain dependent on foreign manufacturers to build ships. ??68% say the ability to build ships for both commercial and military needs is a matter of national security. ?? 71% want the U.S. government to invest in domestic shipbuilding. ?? 70% believe using Chinese-built drydocks for military vessel repairs threatens national security. ?? 66% support government investment in shipbuilding to protect national security. ?? 56% want a percentage of U.S. exports to be required to ship on U.S.-built vessels with U.S. crews. ?? 49% support a docking fee on Chinese vessels, with a 30-point margin in favor. "Beijing's mission to dominate the global shipbuilding industry has been systematic, deliberate, and, unfortunately, highly effective," Paul said. "America's shipyards have been left to flounder, damaging hardworking communities throughout our country and compromising our defense readiness at a time we can ill afford it. Americans see the damage for themselves and want action." ? Paul advocated for "decisive action" in defense of the U.S. shipbuilding industry in testimony before the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on June 26, 2024. Full testimony below. *Morning Consult conducted the poll in March on behalf of AAM. Polling: https://lnkd.in/gi9DFr8c Testimony: https://lnkd.in/guCphYpx

Some facts: ?? Tariffs =! fentanyl coming into the country. ?? It's actually about the #deminimis loophole. ?? Which the current administration was about to close... but a meeting with the FedEx CEO changed that course. Listen to Lori on Ralph Nader's show for more: https://t.co/wmgjwZwxnH

ICYMI: Make this your Friday morning read, and visit rethinktrade.org for our work: Rethink Trade filed comment with USTR on identifying unfair trade practices -

Trade wars don’t have to be a mess. @DanielRangelJ explains how to fight them intelligently in his latest op-ed. Check it out:

Lori joined @RickSmithShow to break down the tariff chaos—what’s real and what it all means. WATCH NOW:

“If you oppose all tariffs, you are essentially signaling that you are comfortable with exploited foreign workers making your stuff at the expense of American workers.” In case you’ve missed it in the ongoing tariff merry-go-round, read @repdeluzio’s SMART take on tariffs.

Forever 21 just filed for bankruptcy—again. And this time, they’re pointing the finger at Shein & Temu. What do they have in common? #DeMinimis, the loophole that lets foreign retailers flood the U.S. market duty-free while American businesses struggle to compete.