The New Up-To-100% Tariff & What You Can Do

[David_K_o_l_i_n]

It’s sad, not just because of the damage to US businesses, but also because Lighthizer had been a respected expert on trade. He’s become a whore.

Bob has always represented industry. He was a powerful steel industry lawyer in private practice

[David_Bu3ker]

Yes. He was generally well respected.

[John_Morris]

FYI, Jon Bonne has written a letter to Lighthizer that backs up the arguments against tariffs with a lot of statistics:

USTR_LETTER_BONNE.pdf

[Matt_Mauldin]

Very nice work on Bonne’s part. Thanks for posting.

[Emily_Schindler_Weissman]

Thanks Emily!!
My take on the letter is that according to the person I spoke to at the USTR, each letter is read and categorized. The usage of form letters even though correct won’t sway the person in charge. They want your opinions and how it affects you. A copy the letter and paste is okay, but taking the time to pen something may make more impact. It is very easy to submit a letter or a comment!

True from what I understand as well. But at this point, I’m willing to try anything to get people to leave a comment! The thing that absolutely baffles me is that the comments are hovering at around 6000 right now. It’s an embarrassment. The number of people who are in the ITB nationwide (importers, distributors, restaurants, retail shops, etc.) + the number of ancillary businesses dependent upon them + the number of wine lovers… and we get 6000?

So yes, please! Everyone here leave a comment. And then ask everyone you’ve ever met to leave a comment. And ask them to ask anybody they have ever met to leave a comment.

And that long letter was totally clinical. Personal is way better, but if you want to include your opposition to these specific tariff targets, then please do:

• Wine, other than Tokay (not carbonated), not over 14% alcohol in containers not over 2 Liters (HTS subheading 2204.21.50)
• Liqueurs and Cordials (HTS subheading 2208.70.00)
• Single malt Irish and Scotch whiskies (HTS subheading 2208.30.30)
• Sparkling Wine, made from grapes (HTS subheading 2204.10.00)
• Effervescent grape wine, in containers holding 2 liters or less (HTS subheading 2204.21.20)
• Grape wine, other than “Marsala”, not sparkling or effervescent, over 14% vol. alcohol, in containers holding 2 liters or less (HTS subheading 2204.21.80)
• Wine of fresh grapes of an alcoholic strength by volume <=14% in containers holding >10 liters (HTS subheadings 2204.22.60 and 2204.29.61)
• Wine of fresh grapes of an alcoholic strength by volume >14% in containers holding >10 liters (HTS subheadings 2204.22.80 and 2204.29.81)
• Grape brandy, excluding pisco and singani, in containers not over 4 liters, valued over $3.43/liter (HTS subheading 2208.20.40)
• Whiskies, other than Irish and Scotch whiskies (HTS subheading 2208.30.60)

[Emily_Schindler_Weissman]

Oh! And another good read on the topic from Alice Feiring: Trump’s Proposed 100% Tariffs. Help Needed | The Feiring Line

With an interesting quote from Jenny Lefcourt:
These tariffs are really without precedent, but to glimpse a window on the possible disastrous consequences, we could examine the 1930 Smoot Hawley Act. History teaches us that this act hastened the arrival of the Great Depression, extended its length, led to a 65% downturn in global trade, and made imported goods a luxury item only affordable to the top 1% of the American population. What’s more, those tariffs were only between 40–48%, not the 100% tariffs currently in discussion. Smoot Hawley is the reason most of the world’s leaders today favor unregulated free trade.

[J_Galang]

Comments sent, wrote a personal one, not a copy paste.

[Frank_Murray_III]

Emily, I would estimate that a # of passionate people around here (me included) have submitted written comments to the USTR website. Not everyone though is this passionate, although I agree with you in that this is the time where folks should raise a voice forward and all rally together.

[Emily_Schindler_Weissman]

Emily, I would estimate that a # of passionate people around here (me included) have submitted written comments to the USTR website. Not everyone though is this passionate, although I agree with you in that this is the time where folks should raise a voice forward and all rally together.

THANK YOU Frank. And thanks to all who have taken the time to leave a comment. So how do we reach out further? Most of the wine publications have put out a piece… but at last count, the comments have still not cracked 7K. I’m stymied.

I wish you all a wonderful 2020 and let’s hope it’s filled with new imports of wines you love, continued distribution channels of domestic wines you adore, local shops where you prefer to buy those wines, and a whole lot of people not being put out of business.

[David_Glasser]

I wonder how many comments are typical for a proposed rule or tariff? Obviously it will vary depending on how many will be affected and how severely. No doubt more is better, especially if they are personalized. Around 6000 sounds like a lot (if most aren’t just cut and pastes), but I have no reference point.

[Frank_Murray_III]

If I was on the receiving end of the comments, and putting aside the issue at play here, as the reader and evaluator of the comments, I would want to see people provide a novel take, not something canned. Sure, it takes a few minutes of time and effort to do the canned commentary but if I wanted to really gauge and take in the pulse for the topic, for me it would be seeing people give me a personal view about why the topic matters to them. Canned, formed stuff would not be impactful for me.

[Nola_Palomar]

Just to be clear, 9,300 are total received comments since last spring when the original retaliatory tariffs were proposed. They had three public hearings which I personally did not even hear about until this past November. This second go around Dec 2019 is the 100% tariff which encompasses all wines, olive oil, cheeses, and many other products coming from the EU. They are obviously behind on getting the comments posted.

Again though, it is not difficult to post a comment and if you have not, please take the time to do so. We need your support! Regulations.gov

Here are the links to the three public hearings. If you have a few moments to donate to reading through them it is very interesting the members of the trade sector that participated. You can open in your PDF program and search for Wine, Olive Oil, etc. There are some very interesting leaders of the food and wine trade that testified. I would recommend reading them.

https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=USTR-2019-0003-2502
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=USTR-2019-0003-2503
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=USTR-2019-0003-2504

[Emily_Schindler_Weissman]

I wonder how many comments are typical for a proposed rule or tariff? Obviously it will vary depending on how many will be affected and how severely. No doubt more is better, especially if they are personalized. Around 6000 sounds like a lot (if most aren’t just cut and pastes), but I have no reference point.

I did mean to share this from their “Requirements for Submissions” section:

The www.regulations.gov website allows users to submit comments by filling in a “type comment” field or by attaching a document using an “upload file” field. USTR prefers that you submit comments in an attached document. If you attach a document, it is sufficient to type “see attached” in the “type comment” field. USTR strongly prefers submissions in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If you use an application other than Adobe Acrobat or Word (.doc), please indicate the name of the application in the “type comment” field.

And as many have pointed out- personal is clearly best.

There is also a petition that is getting close to 10,000 signatures, and maybe it helps, but obviously not as strongly as the letters directly submitted to the USTR. This one is directed towards Congress, but from what I understand this won’t be decided by them. Anyway, can’t hurt to sign!

The petition is here: Petition · Save American Wine Jobs · Change.org

[maureen_nelson]

What are the chances that our voices will actually be heard? And who makes the final decision?

Trump

More likely Robert Lighthizer, but he is generally in agreement with he who must not be named.

FWIW, Bob is a wine geek. Well, maybe not as geeky as us on this bored, but he appreciates fine wine. I have been at more than one burgundy event with him.

[David_Bu3ker]

Maybe he’s on the wagon now.

[M_A_T_T_H_A_R_T_L_E_Y]

Trump

More likely Robert Lighthizer, but he is generally in agreement with he who must not be named.

FWIW, Bob is a wine geek. Well, maybe not as geeky as us on this bored, but he appreciates fine wine. I have been at more than one burgundy event with him.

Surely someone that is on a first name basis with “Bob” has been able to speak to him directly to get his thoughts?

[Troy_Stark]

We have a one year old and my wife stands a very serious chance of losing her job as she works for a small distributor whose portfolio is focused mostly on European wines. Yes, they have a few random SKUs from the US and the Southern Hemisphere, but 90% of her sales are European wines. I have submitted a comment and hope the well-spoken denizens of this board will do the same.

This whole thing is causing a lot of stress in our home. We are fortunate in that we have pretty significant cash savings and can live on my salary if necessary, but things are much better for us if she is also working.

[Nola_Palomar]

We have a one year old and my wife stands a very serious chance of losing her job as she works for a small distributor whose portfolio is focused mostly on European wines. Yes, they have a few random SKUs from the US and the Southern Hemisphere, but 90% of her sales are European wines. I have submitted a comment and hope the well-spoken denizens of this board will do the same.

This whole thing is causing a lot of stress in our home. We are fortunate in that we have pretty significant cash savings and can live on my salary if necessary, but things are much better for us if she is also working.

Troy, tell your wife this.
Do not let these bastards screw with your life. Sing loud and hard to every outlet you can. Contact your local news, social media outlets, tell them why you are speaking out. Don’t think your voice can’t be heard, instead believe It Must Be Heard. Read everything you can get your hands on and fight back. If I lose this, I lose trying and fighting for what I worked so hard to make.
I spoke to a reporter from The Wall Street Journal yesterday. Today I spoke with the exec director of the NAOOA (North America Olive Oil Association). Why him? because he testified on behalf of the industry in May 2019, armed with facts and they did not listen to him, and he is in contact with lobbyists, to which he forwarded my published comment to the USTR. These folks want to take me out? Take me out kicking and fighting, because I’m not going quietly.

[lleichtman]

What are the chances that our voices will actually be heard? And who makes the final decision?

Trump

Yeh a non-drinker

[lleichtman]

Sent the letter plus my own message to my congressman who will be running for Senate and all of the candidates running for his seat. Only one Valerie Plame responded positively so she gets my vote.