About two months ago, we had a workplace visit from the good people at Homeland Security.
In addition to keeping you safe from the people pissed off by 60 years of disastrous American foreign policy decisions, military bases, and armies of occupation, the Homeland Security folks are responsible for monitoring and regulating all the import tariffs and quotas.
The U.S. tariff and import quotas are determined by the same mechanism as most legislation: through bribes.
The Homeland Security munchkins (3 of them, one was actually flown in from California) were looking at our aluminum products. If our aluminum extrusions (price tag holders) came in to the country attached to a shelf, we paid one tariff rate. But if they were not attached to the shelf, we paid a different tariff rate.
Yeah. They flew someone from California to Texas to help clear up this matter of national security.
Here's another example of the system. Go here to see the FedEx spreadsheet for importing clocks. Nobody remembers why clocks are imported according to certain rules. Nobody cares. The rules are there, and they create jobs for bureaucrats, and these bureaucrats make good donors and foot-soldiers during elections.
Here's something about the assorted import taxes on your kids' clothing and school supplies. You could purchase the stuff for less, but you have to support unnecessary bureaucrats instead of supporting the companies, services and friends that you would otherwise choose.
The people who enforce this have to be paid. The companies who bring stuff into our collective cage have to pay other people to keep the bureaucrats happy. Totally wasteful.
Think of the economic boost of bringing in EVERYTHING at 4%. It would be amazing.
In addition to keeping you safe from the people pissed off by 60 years of disastrous American foreign policy decisions, military bases, and armies of occupation, the Homeland Security folks are responsible for monitoring and regulating all the import tariffs and quotas.
The U.S. tariff and import quotas are determined by the same mechanism as most legislation: through bribes.
The Homeland Security munchkins (3 of them, one was actually flown in from California) were looking at our aluminum products. If our aluminum extrusions (price tag holders) came in to the country attached to a shelf, we paid one tariff rate. But if they were not attached to the shelf, we paid a different tariff rate.
Yeah. They flew someone from California to Texas to help clear up this matter of national security.
Here's another example of the system. Go here to see the FedEx spreadsheet for importing clocks. Nobody remembers why clocks are imported according to certain rules. Nobody cares. The rules are there, and they create jobs for bureaucrats, and these bureaucrats make good donors and foot-soldiers during elections.
Here's something about the assorted import taxes on your kids' clothing and school supplies. You could purchase the stuff for less, but you have to support unnecessary bureaucrats instead of supporting the companies, services and friends that you would otherwise choose.
The people who enforce this have to be paid. The companies who bring stuff into our collective cage have to pay other people to keep the bureaucrats happy. Totally wasteful.
Think of the economic boost of bringing in EVERYTHING at 4%. It would be amazing.
2 comments:
I have long held that laws and regulations should come with expiration dates. After all, food products become rotten and stink after a certain period of time. So does most of the nonsense that emanates from our overlords.
Did the munchkin flown in from Kalifornica pass through the TSA gropathon, or was she provided a "private" conveyance as was the "first dog"?
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