2. misc-audio
  3. 149162-118591

Tariffs and sky high audio prices.

With the Chinese tariffs taking hold on 100% of the imports and maybe even on Mexico forthcoming, the audio industry is going to see another big jump in their sky high prices. Anyone making purchases ASAP to get lower prices from existing inventory before post tariff products enter the marketplace?
tubelvr1
bigkidz
3,390 posts
 

Thanks for the enjoyment of reading every ones posts. You people make me laugh and I enjoy coming to this site.

Gold has not backed our currency in some time, that is nothing new. It is backed by the faith that we can repay the debt same as you having a mortgage on your home.

A little over 70% of each dollar goes to pay the monthly bills of our government. Not much left over for our government buying a nice audio system!

Someone mentioned going to China. Well if you are in the middle class your annual salary would about $8,000.

@ghasley - if I remember correctly, you run out of your SS contribution in like 3 years of your retirement. But people are living 20 years after retiring. There is also the fact that there are less people contributing to SS versus people who are retired so there is a big drain there.

I just had a client move to New Jersey from Canada. She told me that health care is free! 53 to 54% tax rate and if you need a hip replacement, you have to get in line as that is not a procedure that you can obtain quickly like here in the US. I pay high enough taxes but 53% ouch!

Anyone in NJ/NYC area. We have a few planned get togethers. Let me know,


ghasley
2,500 posts
 
Canada's health system is actually quite admirable, and this is coming from a lifelong US citizen/resident. The health system there works quite well if you think of it as basically a huge HMO. Your description of "you have to get in line" is only applicable if you want the free version of the hip replacement. If you are willing and able to pay for it without expecting reimbursement, you can. Any Canadian who can afford it can get a new hip tomorrow in Canada, the USA, Switzerland...basically anywhere you want to go and pay for it out of your own pocket. It is a choice for most to wait for the free hip replacement. 
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa
4,867 posts
 
I love this thread. I hope we can inject enough audio in it to keep it solvent. ;-)

ghasley ...

Thank you for your well thought out post. Some real food for thought there. 

You've made a good point about Social Security not being a "right," and instead, an "entitlement." One thing that was missed was any comment about those who pay in over decades and pass on prior to retirement age and get nothing, nor do their heirs.

While I agree that many receive more than they paid in due to longevity, those who pass on early make up some of the difference. As of this date, there is no money in the Social Security trust fund. It has been "borrowed" to pay for other government expenses. Money taken (by force) from today's workers, are not put into the trust fund but are used to pay current recipients. Bernie Madoff comes to mind here.

Do you consider Social Security a retirement benefit, or is it a tax? Is it a solvent government program as promised long ago by the FDR administration, or is it a Ponzi scheme of enormous proportions? Have you ever checked out the private system being used in Chile? Here are some links:

https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/chiles-social-security-lesson-us

https://danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/the-overwhelming-case-for-chiles-private-social-security-system/

Take care ...

Frank




inna
7,296 posts
 
Chinese will get us a free head replacement in no time. With Chinese heads. Then we will see things as they should be seen. And they know that no one is going to repay those debts, not a problem, they use money as a weapon and as a tool to absorb everything there is to absorb. So no, they are not enemies, they are a competing civilization. Imperial China is forever.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
When you have entire cities where a new house costs ten years pay you are looking at an economy based upon Swiss Bank Accounts .
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