Tracking toy tariffs

[hmmberto]

I think a lot of what we're seeing and hearing from business types, investors, etc is that none of this is welcome. I don't *at all* doubt that there are people in the inner circle making bank off of this blatant market manipulation. But most people at most companies aren't in on the grift, and they're just as confused and uncertain about this as we are. If Hasbro (or any company) thought they could push prices higher they would just do it - no excuse needed. The tariff numbers being talked about aren't a gift - they're a total annihilation of their industry, and I seriously doubt there's any enthusiasm for what's happening right now.

 

[canprime]

As someone who is also fairly plugged into the political scene...

I give it a month, max. You're going to start seeing a massive turnaround and push back against Trump that we didn't even think possible. I won't say impeachment is on the table, necessarily, but you're going to be seeing his own party turn against him in a big, big way and that is going to lead to a lot of reform. Hearing loads of discontent rumblings. There are a LOT of unhappy people right now.

Billionaires can't buy what's not available and can't sell to the people unable to buy.

Edit: I should also say that this gives me a perfect out as far as collecting, especially Hasbro's greedy asses. I dumped my entire Classified lineup recently (and bought my wife and myself some awesome electric bikes that I'm getting much more enjoyment out of). And I only cherrypick Marvel figures.

I'm sticking with NECA and Nacelle, primarily. And a few Trick or Treat Studios figures. And I'm good with that.

I wish I could share in your belief but there has been nothing from the republicans in the congress that would lead me to believe they have any stomach to go against Trump. They have gone along with everything he has done and each bill has passed so far with almost unanimous republican support. All those so called "fiscal hawks" in the freedom caucus have done their little dance and crowed about how they are a hard no, only to quietly go right along with the rest of them and vote for everything.

The public is so far indifferent, at least on the conservative side. There is a small group that is talking, but the majority of the public resistance is from democrats and the left. From what I have seen the right wing media (propaganda) is talking about everything and anything that distracts from the actual problems going on and created by the right.

Just my opinion, but republicans will keep going along with Trump into the fall in the hopes that most of the public will be to distracted through the summer to pay any attention. Then come the fall they will ram through the tax cuts, balloon the deficit and debt and pretend like the left is to blame and hope their supporters buy the bull.

After that, maybe, there will be more pressure on congress but I still wouldn't count on it. It will probably be just a wait and hope that the Democrats can take back the house in 2026.

 

[TheSameIdiot]

It's a longshot, but if Democrats stop bailing Republicans out of their own unpopular policies (see farming subsidies), the Senate could be up for grabs, too.

It's easy to imagine Maine and North Carolina as Democratic pickups. Ohio and Montana had popular Democratic Senators narrowly lose elections in 2024; they could both run again and win. I remain open to the possibility of Kansas, Texas, Iowa, and/or Florida, depending on the state of the economy and the right's ability to spin economic collapse as a win for big daddy Trump.

 

[RicksNerdLife]

And now California is in the process of trying to secede. That would be insane if they can...and I'd move there.

 

[Damien]

It's a longshot, but if Democrats stop bailing Republicans out of their own unpopular policies (see farming subsidies), the Senate could be up for grabs, too.

It's easy to imagine Maine and North Carolina as Democratic pickups. Ohio and Montana had popular Democratic Senators narrowly lose elections in 2024; they could both run again and win. I remain open to the possibility of Kansas, Texas, Iowa, and/or Florida, depending on the state of the economy and the right's ability to spin economic collapse as a win for big daddy Trump.

I'd be more inclined to believe this was possible if I believed that the Democrat/Republican thing wasn't basically a dog-and-pony show. Democrats have had SO MANY opportunities to do something. Anything. We've had 12 years of Democrat presidents of the last 16 years prior to Trump II that did NOTHING about the Republicans' obvious and very loud march toward outright authoritarian fascism.

Biden refused to step in and do something about Trump. Obama refused to do anything about having supreme court seats stolen from him. We've watched Republicans run roughshod over the Constitution for easily over a decade, and in fact longer than that, with barely a 'hey, knock it off' from Democrats.

I've grown so tired of the idea that we have a two-party system. We have a one party system. It's ALWAYS been us or them. But if you say what really needs to happen, you're a violent revolutionary and you get sent to a gulag in a different dictator's country.

 

[SalemCrow]

Thanks for the board, TSI, and thanks for the thread guys.

I've spent the last 2 days reading though this periodically as I'm home sick, and it's comforting (though I don't know if that's the right word for this) knowing there are some others who feel the same way I do.

I'm almost 50, and almost my entire family on both sides (mother and father's) are Trump supporters. My mother and step father no longer are, but her other siblings, and my brother (who works with mentally disabled folks in state group homes, so it makes no sense to me) are. My uncle on my father's side is a Dem, but everyone else is a staunch Trumper. I'd given up arguing with them on social media because it was wasting my energy when there was no hope of changing their mind.
My mother and step father are already struggling with increased taxes on their social security, so these tariffs are really concerning for them since they already starting to struggle.

I'd been on a bit of a spending binge at the start of the year once the blowhard won, and don't have a whole lot on preorder right now. I think about 5-6 items at BBTS and 2 Mafex figures with AmiAmi (Superboy & Tim Drake Robin). Those might be the last preorders I put in place for the immediate future, and play any other wants by ear if I see them at retail.

Also just watched this bit from John Oliver's show from Sunday night.

 

[TheSameIdiot]

I came to share last night's Last Week Tonight. It's grim.

And now California is in the process of trying to secede. That would be insane if they can...and I'd move there.

I'd love to see a CA + OR + WA superstate. The federal government is already withholding FEMA money from Washington. How long can we let that go on? State budgets aren't meant to withstand a lack of federal funding. Unlike most secession plans, I think the West Coast would be okay. It's a legal nightmare I can't even begin to fathom, but our economy, population, agricultural yield, and potential military are all big enough to make it feasible.

I know I sound like a lunatic, but what's even crazier is waiting two or three years to see how we do without federal aid or half of our residents in a foreign gulag. We've seen this story before. Four years ago, removing Republicans from office using Section 3 of the 14th Amendment sounded crazy. What's even crazier was letting a senile narcissist (and potential foreign agent) back into office with the full backing of his sycophantic party.

 

[Ru1977]

I know there was some momentum for Calexit during Trump's first term, and I'm not sure how much there is now but seems like more than last time. I always found it interesting how many welfare states hate California but I realize logic is a lost art. I mentioned it several pages back but with my own ignorance about political science and economics etc, I was still wondering how well it could work for the states to be more on their own, maybe banding together only during wartime or what have you. Also negotiating trade and such, essentially almost as individual nations and the United States acting as more like the EU. Again, I definitely have a lack of understanding with how governments work and such so I'm sure there's a million things I wouldn't think of that prevent that from being a great idea. Breaking up the country would be a fitting legacy for him though. Take the concept of state's rights to its extreme.

 

[canprime]

I'd be more inclined to believe this was possible if I believed that the Democrat/Republican thing wasn't basically a dog-and-pony show. Democrats have had SO MANY opportunities to do something. Anything. We've had 12 years of Democrat presidents of the last 16 years prior to Trump II that did NOTHING about the Republicans' obvious and very loud march toward outright authoritarian fascism.

Biden refused to step in and do something about Trump. Obama refused to do anything about having supreme court seats stolen from him. We've watched Republicans run roughshod over the Constitution for easily over a decade, and in fact longer than that, with barely a 'hey, knock it off' from Democrats.

I've grown so tired of the idea that we have a two-party system. We have a one party system. It's ALWAYS been us or them. But if you say what really needs to happen, you're a violent revolutionary and you get sent to a gulag in a different dictator's country.

The problem is, in my opinion, the make up of the US population. Here in Canada the population has tended to lean more Liberal than Conservative (in general federal politics). That is why the Federal government has been Liberal for the majority of Canada's history. In the US it seems that the general population trends more conservative. That seems to have changed more so in this century, but thanks to a lot of shenanigans by the republicans at all levels they have managed to keep power while the demographics have turned in favour of the democrats.

As such, with the help of the right wing media machine, democrats are more likely to get punished by voters for any perceived bad behaviour/decisions than republicans. I mean just look at what is going on now. Trump and the republicans are running roughshod over everything republicans pretend to care about and they are sitting on their hands leaving democrats to try and protest in the streets. Then look at the disgusting situation in North Carolina where the supreme court justice (democrat) may not be assigned to the bench because the republicans on the bench are supporting the criminal proceedings of the loser to try and eliminate thousands of ballots in a democratic district (surprise, surprise no mention of ballots in republican districts). Or Texas where the governor was not going to call a special election to replace a democratic congressman who died (again from a democratic district) and only recently, finally, caved to pressure. Yet he still pushed it to November so they have no representation or vote in congress for almost a year.

And yet, even this small sample of examples, there won't be any punishment for the republicans who are breaking/bending the rules in their favour. What's worse is that the legacy media just ignores all but the most egregious stories while the right wing propaganda machine keeps the conservative voters in the dark as much as is possible about any of it.

So, again, when there is no punishment for terrible behaviour for republicans, and democrats are more likely to be punished, or voted out, for even a hint of "liberal" wokeness, etc. I don't really see how the democrats can do much overall. I do agree though that they should use their time in power, especially when they have all three branches of government, to push their agenda hard like Obama did with the ACA. Because no matter what they are going to get voted out of the majority anyway so next time they get a majority go full bore and ignore the right.

 

[TheSameIdiot]

The problem is, in my opinion, the make up of the US population. Here in Canada the population has tended to lean more Liberal than Conservative (in general federal politics). That is why the Federal government has been Liberal for the majority of Canada's history. In the US it seems that the general population trends more conservative. That seems to have changed more so in this century, but thanks to a lot of shenanigans by the republicans at all levels they have managed to keep power while the demographics have turned in favour of the democrats.

I think this is a really interesting argument. I think about it often and I'm undecided.

On one hand, Democrats have won all but two presidential popular votes dating back to 1992. On the other hand, the two Republicans we elected in that timeframe were among the stupidest people on Earth, and both had disastrous first terms only to win the popular vote in their second.

It's worth noting that the most popular policy in the United States is Social Security. It was created by our most liberal president and is obviously a socialist policy.

Where I ultimately come down is that we are ever so slightly more liberal than conservative. Like, 42% to 40%. But those voters come out almost every election, and the undecideds, truly the dumbest people in the country, who all get their news from Facebook, decide every presidential election. As we've seen this century, it's not sustainable.

It's somewhat inarguable that Donald Trump is political catnip in this country. He brings out racial resentment in the worst of us and belief in finally hitting it rich in the stupidest of us. It's possible that he's unimitable lightning in a bottle for a dying conservative movement. Based on the failures of his imitators, like Ron DeSantis, I think that's likely. It's also possible that his presidency was enough to lock to U.S. into authoritarianism for generations to come. I'd argue that's also likely. Time will tell.

As such, with the help of the right wing media machine, democrats are more likely to get punished by voters for any perceived bad behaviour/decisions than republicans. I mean just look at what is going on now. Trump and the republicans are running roughshod over everything republicans pretend to care about and they are sitting on their hands leaving democrats to try and protest in the streets. Then look at the disgusting situation in North Carolina where the supreme court justice (democrat) may not be assigned to the bench because the republicans on the bench are supporting the criminal proceedings of the loser to try and eliminate thousands of ballots in a democratic district (surprise, surprise no mention of ballots in republican districts). Or Texas where the governor was not going to call a special election to replace a democratic congressman who died (again from a democratic district) and only recently, finally, caved to pressure. Yet he still pushed it to November so they have no representation or vote in congress for almost a year.

The false equivalency is brain-breaking.

And yet, even this small sample of examples, there won't be any punishment for the republicans who are breaking/bending the rules in their favour. What's worse is that the legacy media just ignores all but the most egregious stories while the right wing propaganda machine keeps the conservative voters in the dark as much as is possible about any of it.

Yes.

https://bsky.app/profile/marcelias.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3lmqajg6fjk2p

So, again, when there is no punishment for terrible behaviour for republicans, and democrats are more likely to be punished, or voted out, for even a hint of "liberal" wokeness, etc. I don't really see how the democrats can do much overall. I do agree though that they should use their time in power, especially when they have all three branches of government, to push their agenda hard like Obama did with the ACA. Because no matter what they are going to get voted out of the majority anyway so next time they get a majority go full bore and ignore the right.

I read a Bluesky post recently that said Dems will be locked out of power for 10 years when they pass public health care. Other than democracy reform and now fixing federal bureaucracy, I think public health care is the single most important issue facing our country. Unfortunately, we're not in a spot to get locked out of power for 10 years. Imagine what President JD Vance would do to this country. It's quite a conundrum.

 

[yojoebro82]

I just preordered a McFarlane Eradicator because I love Reign of Supermen and a Nacelle Company Weyoun because I love Star Trek Deep Space Nine, but the joy is sucked out of these preorders know. I could be paying ten times more and end up having to cancel by the time these hit my POL.

 

[TheSameIdiot]

I just preordered a McFarlane Eradicator because I love Reign of Supermen and a Nacelle Company Weyoun because I love Star Trek Deep Space Nine, but the joy is sucked out of these preorders know. I could be paying ten times more and end up having to cancel by the time these hit my POL.

I wonder if BBTS/whoever will implement NRDs. They can't afford to take a bath on every release.

 

[Ashtalon]

Well, I don't think you'll be paying 10 times the amount. Probably not even double. Trump will have to fold. But he just needs to find a way to spin it as some kind of victory. Which all this tariff nonsense is about. Trump wanting to appear strong and wanting other countries to come running to him to strike a deal. Hell, Canada and Mexico essentially made it seem like they were complying with his fentanyl (an issue Trump really doesn't care about) crackdown while they were just going forward with past agreements.

I think a real issue regarding Democrats vs Republicans is Democrats generally have policies which want to help people, while Republicans have policies which only want to help themselves. Recently (maybe starting in the late 80s), Republicans started getting a cruel streak. A lot of their attitude and driving force is to literally cause someone suffering. They think it's what strong people do, and they have this inherent need to portray what they perceive to be strength. So the more cruel they are, the stronger they seem. They're not even for issues, as much as against issues. And they're too prideful to admit they were ever wrong, because that would be a sign of weakness to them.

 

[Misfit]

The problem is, in my opinion, the make up of the US population. Here in Canada the population has tended to lean more Liberal than Conservative (in general federal politics). That is why the Federal government has been Liberal for the majority of Canada's history. In the US it seems that the general population trends more conservative. That seems to have changed more so in this century, but thanks to a lot of shenanigans by the republicans at all levels they have managed to keep power while the demographics have turned in favour of the democrats.

As such, with the help of the right wing media machine, democrats are more likely to get punished by voters for any perceived bad behaviour/decisions than republicans. I mean just look at what is going on now. Trump and the republicans are running roughshod over everything republicans pretend to care about and they are sitting on their hands leaving democrats to try and protest in the streets. Then look at the disgusting situation in North Carolina where the supreme court justice (democrat) may not be assigned to the bench because the republicans on the bench are supporting the criminal proceedings of the loser to try and eliminate thousands of ballots in a democratic district (surprise, surprise no mention of ballots in republican districts). Or Texas where the governor was not going to call a special election to replace a democratic congressman who died (again from a democratic district) and only recently, finally, caved to pressure. Yet he still pushed it to November so they have no representation or vote in congress for almost a year.

And yet, even this small sample of examples, there won't be any punishment for the republicans who are breaking/bending the rules in their favour. What's worse is that the legacy media just ignores all but the most egregious stories while the right wing propaganda machine keeps the conservative voters in the dark as much as is possible about any of it.

So, again, when there is no punishment for terrible behaviour for republicans, and democrats are more likely to be punished, or voted out, for even a hint of "liberal" wokeness, etc. I don't really see how the democrats can do much overall. I do agree though that they should use their time in power, especially when they have all three branches of government, to push their agenda hard like Obama did with the ACA. Because no matter what they are going to get voted out of the majority anyway so next time they get a majority go full bore and ignore the right.

In a global sense, yes, America is more conservative. That's because the old guard of the Democratic party would be considered conservative from an outsider's point of view. Still, more progressive policies often poll well with the general public, but politicians are unwilling to embrace them for a variety of factors most of which concern money. And then there's the good old Electoral College which makes sure the electorate slants conservative at times even if the general population is more liberal. Democrats should have been fighting like hell to kill that thing for years, but they don't seem to like fighting hard for anything.

 

[Misfit]

I wonder if BBTS/whoever will implement NRDs. They can't afford to take a bath on every release.

Big Bad already does for bigger ticket items. The cut-off seems to be around 100 bucks or it's more subjective and applied against items they just think will be harder to move should their buyer backout. It would not be at all surprising though if some places put limits on preorder cancellations. It doesn't sound like BBTS is trending that way since they basically announced they're going to present the buyer an invoice to either accept or reject when product comes in since they can't predict what the hit from tariffs will be.