Column 2 status would absolutely make sense if we weren’t talking about an administration that slapped tariffs on penguins.
Russia still has billions in trade with the US, far more than any of the other three in column 2 and far more than the vast majority of trade partners assigned tariffs. The tariffs were assigned with a simple trade deficit calculation that Russia was spared. If anything, that this administration is so eager to “get even” that it slaps tariffs on penguins while missing one of its largest trade deficits says more about their lack of attention to detail than anything else.
Oh I completely agree with you, the tariffs don’t make sense at all and some of the Annex II countries have even higher tariff rates than the Column 2 countries in the HTSUS. I’m just saying that it doesn’t make sense to say “Russia was left off the tariff list” in context. If you say “that list penalized random countries harsher than North Korea or Russia” that’s true, but “it’s not even on the list” is something that just gives conservatives fodder for their delusional narrative of liberals and leftists mindlessly freaking out. We’re freaking out with good reason, but “Russia isn’t on the list” isn’t exactly the good reason. The list making no fucking sense is the good reason.
Column 2 status would absolutely make sense if we weren’t talking about an administration that slapped tariffs on penguins.
Russia still has billions in trade with the US, far more than any of the other three in column 2 and far more than the vast majority of trade partners assigned tariffs. The tariffs were assigned with a simple trade deficit calculation that Russia was spared. If anything, that this administration is so eager to “get even” that it slaps tariffs on penguins while missing one of its largest trade deficits says more about their lack of attention to detail than anything else.
Oh I completely agree with you, the tariffs don’t make sense at all and some of the Annex II countries have even higher tariff rates than the Column 2 countries in the HTSUS. I’m just saying that it doesn’t make sense to say “Russia was left off the tariff list” in context. If you say “that list penalized random countries harsher than North Korea or Russia” that’s true, but “it’s not even on the list” is something that just gives conservatives fodder for their delusional narrative of liberals and leftists mindlessly freaking out. We’re freaking out with good reason, but “Russia isn’t on the list” isn’t exactly the good reason. The list making no fucking sense is the good reason.
Edited to correct a typo.