A better way than tariffs
President Donald Trump and others in his inner circle are saying one of the reasons for his unprecedented high tariffs is to force American companies with jobs out of the country back home.
Jobs started leaving the country in the 1980s, when federal legislation was passed making it profitable to close a plant. For example, they could close three to five plants a year and pay little or no taxes.
To put a cherry on the ice cream, countries like China were given favorable nation status. It is unlikely that companies will absorb these high tariffs, so higher prices will surely be passed on to you and me.
Perhaps there is another way to get these wayward companies to come home. Companies have been given several hugh tax breaks by the federal government in the past 40 years. Some states followed suit.
For example, if a U.S. company has 35% of their jobs out of the country, reduce their tax breaks for a like amount. When something happens to dramatically reduce these companies’ bottom line, they act with lighting speed. When they start the process to come home, give half back, and when they are fully vested home then giving the remainder.
Doing this would avoid tariff trade wars with other countries, keep the stock market and our 401Ks happy, and not raise taxes on an already burden consumer.
Curtis Brown, Murphy
Happily living in Clay County
It has been a year since moving from the endless lawsuits, high crime and government corruption of Cherokee County. Leaving the ghetto presented me an opportunity to pay for a new Clay County home, along with saving an additional $700 in taxes and insurance. Clay County taxpayers are not required to pay for government incompetence.
Clay County officials, unlike Cherokee County, realize their role is not to prostitute the taxpayer but to provide quality governing in order to promote economic stability and growth. Moving to Clay County was a common-sense choice, and the beauty is just breathtaking.
I do make time, in my busy retirement, to belittle Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith whenever possible. Childish, I know, but he should be reminded that his unconscionable actions did irrefutable harm to the very citizens he was sworn to protect, along with violating his oath of office.
Darrin Wright, Hayesville