this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2025
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European Union leaders will consider imposing 25 percent tariffs on a range of US imports, including steel, clothes, and food, but not bourbon or other alcoholic drinks, following US President Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on imports from the EU.

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[–] MyOpinion@lemm.ee 154 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

Big mistake. They should focus on Bourbon and food. That will hit MAGAts the hardest.

[–] Skiluros@sh.itjust.works 85 points 2 weeks ago (7 children)

No, bourbon and food is small fry.

Internet services headquartered in the US. That's the real deal.

Require a $100/per computer/per year on-going tax (phased in very slowly over 36 months, with extremely slow ramp in the first 18 months) for every enterprise Windows installation. Then figure out a similar approach for cloud computing and mobile enterprise (targeting Android/iOS). That's how you grab the Americans by the balls.

[–] taladar@sh.itjust.works 38 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Lets be realistic here, everything from MAGA dominated states is small fry, they are not exactly the most productive states.

[–] lobut@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 weeks ago
[–] terminhell@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Devils advocate, most of those states are agriculture heavy. What do you mean by productive?

[–] taladar@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 weeks ago

I mean they are literally some of the poorest US states with the lowest GDP per capita, the highest poverty rates, the highest rates of people who need government support,... and most relevant for this discussion, the least valuable exports.

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 35 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Even better: services. Tariff Facebook ads, Netflix subscriptions, Office 365, Amazon Prime. If the corporations want to pull the strings in government, hit them directly.

[–] Skiluros@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 weeks ago

Yes, that would be part of it. Windows on enterprise is just a good, simple example.

[–] FelixCress@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

Invoke anti coercion regulations and suspend intellectual property rights of the US companies. Job done.

[–] Ideonek@lemm.ee 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I think that surprising amount of them are already located in Ireland for that and other tax related possibilities. Giant corporations are basically pirates sailing on lawless waters.

[–] Skiluros@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Target HQ based on consolidated financial account reporting not regional HQ. Doesn't matter if you have a regional subsidiary in Ireland or Moldova. If the final accounts/HQs are US-based all transactions in Europe get hit with massive on-going subscription-style tariffs (since ICT services are largely subscription based).

[–] Ideonek@lemm.ee 7 points 2 weeks ago (12 children)

If only tax-evasion was so easily solved. The are not shy of restructuring completely just to fit into any gap that law created. On paper "BigBadCorpo US" and "BigBadCorpo Irealand" could be two completely separate entities, with BBCI turning zero to no profits becouse it license brand from BBCUS.

You would think that Worner Bross is a movie making company. It's not. On paper it's a company that lend very overprices movie equipment. To shell companies created solely for the purpose of creating one movie...

Taxes are hard and people who employ literal armies of layers have the edge over slow law making.

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[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 26 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Yeah, that's an odd one to leave out. US alcohol isn't any form of necessity either.

[–] sirico@feddit.uk 8 points 2 weeks ago

Maybe there's a export like rye that the EU provides

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[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

kentuckys economy is exclusively bourban, or at least most of it.

[–] madcaesar@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

And Kentucky is full of magats

[–] Melvin_Ferd@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

Right, why are countries not coordinating counter tariffs. Why isn't EU and Canada and others joining up to target some of the biggest donors and supporters

[–] PotatoLibre@feddit.it 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

They should tax digital products.

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[–] Teknikal@eviltoast.org 58 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

There's Irish Scottish and Japanese whisky which are in my opinion superior anyway, should take a leaf from Canadas book and take them off the shelves.

[–] BlackSheep@lemmy.ca 24 points 2 weeks ago

As a Canadian, I don’t give a rat’s ass what other countries do. I WILL NOT buy anything American. Full stop!!

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 16 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

American spirits are mixers here, I'll use bourbon if I want a cocktail but if I want a glass of something - I dont reach for american.

I dont want them off the shelves though, I wan america to revwrse course and be fucking normal before we end up at war.

[–] figjam@midwest.social 4 points 2 weeks ago

You and me both sister.

[–] fritobugger2017@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Yup. Bourbon is way over rated.

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[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 weeks ago

Canada makes rye whiskey

When I did drink, I found bourbon too sweet

[–] brot@feddit.org 2 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

If the american supply ceases, european producers won't be able to handle demand. Expect higher prices - good whiskey takes several years to produce and nobody has prepared for a stupid situation like this

[–] BlackSheep@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 weeks ago

Suck it up, buttercup. Take a stand!!

[–] LwL@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

Lack of alcohol supply (a specific kind no less) is so far down the list of actual problems though. The majority of the population of the EU in every country seems to be on board with suffering a little in order to stick it to trump, so whiskey is really a weird thing to not import, especially given the potential impact it can have on the political opinion in affected regions.

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[–] zephorah@lemm.ee 17 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Someone in charge likely has a bourbon cellar. If you’ve ever had good bourbon, you’ll understand. Small amounts of the top shelf bourbon can be like good chocolate.

Or they’re practiced lushes and don’t want any alcohol price increases.

[–] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (14 children)

Found the American.

It’s all Whiskey, it having to be made in the USA is the only distinction of it being Bourbon.

There’s plenty of Whiskeys, Ryes and Corn Whiskeys that blow Bourbon out of the water.

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[–] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 6 points 2 weeks ago

I think they're avoiding it because of the exports of wine, champagn, beer, etc. out of the EU more than anything, but that's just a (very slightly) educated guess.

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[–] commander@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

Just the initial wave. The next one should be a way bigger response to the blanket EU tariff

[–] riodoro1@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

can’t do tariffs on the us but how about that chat control?

The eu seems to be really incapable of doing anything lately.

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