MAGA base thinks Trump's trade war will bring 'pot of gold.' But they're only willing to wait for so long.

[Eugene]

MAGA base thinks Trump’s trade war will bring ‘pot of gold.’ But they’re only willing to wait for so long. (Politico)

“If the economy just completely tanks, then it’s Political Science 101 that the incumbent is in trouble,” a North Carolina GOP consultant said.

Some Republicans are putting an expiration date on how long they’ll tolerate the economic fallout from Donald Trump’s trade war.

For now, they’re eager to extend the president time to reshape the U.S. economy – and they’re prepared to stomach higher costs as a consequence of steep tariffs on trading partners.

But interviews with nearly three dozen Republican leaders and operatives in seven battlegrounds — from party chairs to strategists to state lawmakers — reveal a growing acknowledgement that economic shocks could hamper the party’s prospects in the midterms. While many say they are strapping in for as long as it takes, several state party strategists and leaders predicted voters’ patience with higher prices would last no longer than into summer, while others suggested he has a runway of about a year.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/19/trump-base-trade-war-expiration-date-00299334

[CincyDem]

1. It will...but these dummies think they'll get the gold (when we know it's the billionaires lining their pockets).

[mikeysnot]

2. Enjoy the snake oil

[Fiendish Thingy]

3. I guess nobody has told them...

…that it takes 3-5 years to get a manufacturing plant up and running, so even if Trump’s tariffs “work” as he intended them to, manufacturing jobs won’t return to the US for many years. Those new manufacturing jobs would likely be sweatshop jobs that pay shit with shitty or no benefits. Meanwhile, there will be a severe recession to cope with.

In addition, many economists say even severe tariffs won’t convince many companies to relocate manufacturing to the US- they will simply charge more for their products or stop selling them in the US altogether.

It’s one of the purest examples of FAFO ever seen.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. 3 to 5 Years Is Pretty Optimistic

I'd guess more like 7 to 10 when things like transportation infrastructure is included.
A greenfield manufacturing site they can't get raw material into & finished product out of is effectively useless.
I agree with everything else you said. I just think 3-5 years is awfully ambitious.

[Fiendish Thingy]

9. Just repeating what's been widely reported

3-5 years may be an average, depending on the industry and products involved.

For example, auto manufacturing might be on the low end of the timetable, because that is still done in the US, so the infrastructure for expansion is in place.

On the other hand, factories for TV’s, cell phones and cheap plastic toys would have to start completely from scratch and would likely be on the upper range you suggested, if they ever happen at all.

[ProfessorGAC]

10. I See

Well then, I dispute what has been widely reported.
It would take over a year just to build an assembly line building. 6 months to arrange financing before groundbreaking,, at least, then the entire factory has to be tooled & outfitted.
We're at 3 years without the decision making time.
Perhaps 4 or 5 for some industries does work, but 3 sounds like a fairy tale.

[tanyev]

4. A pot of fool's gold.

😒

[Scrivener7]

5. Civics and economics 101 need to be added to the high school curriculum.

[Bluestocking]

6. Trumpers are so pathetically stupid

that they are a lost cause. Forget about them. We win back congress and eventually the White House due to Non-Trumpers who voted for Trump or those that chose not to vote in 24. They can be swayed.

[Johonny]

7. Pot of gold translates to bribes

They want to line their pockets, but don't want to risk future lining of pockets

[Vinca]

11. It'll bring a pot of something and you'll smell it when it arrives.