Tractors and (upcoming) tariffs?

[jyoutz]

Never said “very soon”. I said a “short period of time”. I think it’ll take a few months.
But you better go hide under the covers and get ready for the economic apocalypse.

Not hiding. I’m well prepared and my assets are protected. I’m just going to go buy more popcorn. I feel sorry for those who are going to be badly hurt.

 

[Hay Dude]

Not hiding. I’m well prepared and my assets are protected. I’m just going to go buy more popcorn. I feel sorry for those who are going to be badly hurt.

You only get “badly hurt” if you panic and start blathering irrationally.
Here’s where cooler, smarter people make weaker “sky is falling” people look silly.

Sure, disaster can happen. Nobody knows. But I know I’m more confident and much stronger in my perseverance than you are. I hope you can find strength and get some confidence that you’ll survive and be ok.
Try not to panic so much.

 

[jyoutz]

You only get “badly hurt” if you panic and start blathering irrationally.
Here’s where cooler, smarter people make weaker “sky is falling” people look silly.

Sure, disaster can happen. Nobody knows. But I know I’m more confident and much stronger in my perseverance than you are. I hope you can find strength and get some confidence that you’ll survive and be ok.
Try not to panic so much.

LOL. No panic. I already said my assets are good and I’m happy to watch while eating popcorn. I can retire any day I choose and be doing fine. Can you?

 

[ultrarunner]

My grandparents as newly weds in 1927 said the Depression made an ever lasting impact on their lives.

From our discussions I learned…

Cash is King

Silver and Gold coins better

Stay out of Debt

Pay as you go

Live within your means and never put in the dog…

Labor becomes very cheap with many willing to work for daily sustenance…

Shed dependence and learn a trade…

So what has changed a hundred years later?

We are no longer on the Gold Standard and the government provides food, shelter, healthcare and a stipend without the need to labor.

We have generations in my city with Section 8 housing, monthly income, EBT, no cost healthcare, etc… good times or bad they still have fiber internet and cell phones provided.

Taxes as in sales and property are very high and for many taxes in all forms there largest expenditures…

 

[Hay Dude]

LOL. No panic. I already said my assets are good and I’m happy to watch while eating popcorn. I can retire any day I choose and be doing fine. Can you?

I’m not old enough to think about retiring. Good luck in yours. Hope you don’t panic & sell off.

 

[jyoutz]

I’m not old enough to think about retiring. Good luck in yours. Hope you don’t panic & sell off.

My assets will pay off all debt including mortgage with plenty left over. My pension, wife’s pension, and SS will provide a decent annual income. I need to protect assets so I can be debt free the day I decide to retire. Everyone’s situation is different. The currant situation only causes concern for my children and other people who I don’t want to see hurt.

 

[jyoutz]

Additionally, we have an acute labor shortage in this country today and it's not because the labor market isn't there, it's because many of the current labor pool DON'T WANT TO WORK IN THE FIRST PLACE. If they do want to work, they all want a Cadillac wage from the get go and full benefits right from the start and many aren't willing to perform any manual labor anyway, let alone pass a drug test which is still mandatory for employment in an industrial setting.

I know about that first hand and one of the main reasons I retired as a manager. When you cannot hire enough employees to man a full shift because they cannot pass a drug screen or they come to work for a day or two and realize manual labor is involved and never come back because they actually had to do manual labor, it's very frustration. The outfit I retired from was a revolving door for employees because unlike the old days, none of them (or at least a large percentage really don't want to work in the first place. They prefer to collect public assistance and do nothing constructive to better themselves.

Sadly, we live in a society that does not want to work and if they do and pass a drug screen, they don't last at all.

Why I retired as the grief level at least for me was not sustainable.

I’m sure that your experiences are accurate. I work with lots of young adults and have a couple of 20-30 year old sons. What is happening is the more ambitious young people don’t view manufacturing as a rewarding and interesting career choice, and they are pursuing other careers. The people you are seeing in manufacturing are the “less ambitious.” This shouldn’t be the case, but it is.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

So as long as we feed, house, cloth, provide healthcare, there is a reduced incentive to work. I get not wanting to be part of the rat race, but that choice should bring consequences, not reward. but, it does buy votes.

And this is from the generation that does work, but under their terms.

Roughly half of Gen Z workers say they don't want to return to the office because it means they can't binge-watch their favorite TV shows during work anymore

Fine, but again, let's not reward. I was hungry once, for food and wanting of nicer things. It was a very, very easy fix. I worked. Getting where I am did not happen overnight. it made me who I am. I made sacrifices, didn't have cable tv, new car etc. I worked up to that. I do not want the money I am forced to give the government to pay for those who chose not to work, who spend money foolishly, who scam etc. I have 0 compassion for those people. Maybe if they, God forbid, suffer, they will pull themselves up by their bootstraps and succeed.

 

[ultrarunner]

So as long as we feed, house, cloth, provide healthcare, there is a reduced incentive to work. I get not wanting to be part of the rat race, but that choice should bring consequences, not reward. but, it does buy votes.

And this is from the generation that does work, but under their terms.

Roughly half of Gen Z workers say they don't want to return to the office because it means they can't binge-watch their favorite TV shows during work anymore

Fine, but again, let's not reward. I was hungry once, for food and wanting of nicer things. It was a very, very easy fix. I worked. Getting where I am did not happen overnight. it made me who I am. I made sacrifices, didn't have cable tv, new car etc. I worked up to that. I do not want the money I am forced to give the government to pay for those who chose not to work, who spend money foolishly, who scam etc. I have 0 compassion for those people. Maybe if they, God forbid, suffer, they will pull themselves up by their bootstraps and succeed.

I perceived suffering comes the riots and looting starts…

Tariffs and rising prices will not just affect tractors but just about everything in a modern lifestyle…

We only have one auto manufacturer of size and it’s Tesla with thousands of locals employed and by far Tesla buyers tend not to be conservative but open season declared in Tesla and Drivers… I personally know several that have sold their Teslas recently out of fear… they loved their cars before but now don’t or are simply afraid…

Makes zero sense and the add Elon is a minority owner with so many retirement funds owning the lion share it’s stupidity… but this is where we are today…

 

[big bubba]

Mtsoxfan: sounds as if you had good work ethic & ambition in youth. not sure of your age, but i'm in mid 70's. i will say i was able to do well & am reasonably ok in later life stage during my working carer

but given current housing, inflation, uncertain job & economy, even with the work ethic that you expound, our youth i think are facing more challenges than i did in trying to achieve what we have done ourselves

we can point fingers, but it's the world we are leaving our youth. let's try to keep the faith