Trump's tariff wars forge rare bipartisan alliance in Kentucky as bourbon makers fear escalation

But it’s a world-renowned Kentucky product, bourbon, that’s become a prime target for retaliation. In Canada, some liquor stores have cleared American spirits from their shelves. Across the Atlantic, the EU will raise tariffs on American beef, poultry, bourbon and motorcycles, peanut butter and jeans.

Those are targeted tariffs aimed at creating political pressure on Trump to stop the trade war.

If I drank Kentucky bourbon here in the US, I'd stop too. I mean, sucks for the bourbon guys --- while some manufacturers no doubt wanted tariffs, those guys won't have --- but I want the tariffs stopped too, and given that elections are some time away, that's really my only available near-term input on the tariff conflict.

I guess I eat beef, chicken and peanut butter. Can probably live without that for the duration; probably possible to get non-US-originating stuff, do my bit to increase pressure. Can probably get non-US-originating jeans. :-/

I wish that the Canucks would put up recommended alternatives.

goes hunting

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=imported+peanut+butter&i=grocery

Okay "imported peanut butter" seems to provide hits from Canada and the Netherlands.

I have no idea on jeans.

I doubt that it's possible to easily get non-US-originating chicken in the US. The US is globally-competitive in chicken production, and it's expensive to ship. Probably just need to eat an alternative.

EDIT: It sounds like most jeans manufacture moved out of the US some time ago, so if you're getting jeans in the US, unless you're going out of your way to get domestically-manufactured ones, they're probably imports anyway.

https://toddshelton.com/blog/about-todd-shelton/made-in-america/best-jeans-made-in-usa

No more household names like Levi’s, Wrangler, or Lee
The Big 3: Levi’s, Wrangler, and Lee no longer make jeans in America. A few years ago, Levi’s and Wrangler sold a Made in USA jean for over $200—but a recent search shows both have been discontinued.
Even well-known brands like AG Jeans and Lucky, which still have a reputation for USA made jeans, no longer make jeans here.
People looking to buy American made jeans will need to be willing to get familiar with a new brand, because there are no more household names making jeans in America.
Adjusting to what an American-made jean should cost
For many readers who want to buy made in America jeans, adjusting to the higher prices will be a challenge.
Keep in mind, Levi’s and Wrangler sold made in USA jeans a few years ago and were priced at $250 and $275, respectively. Neither brand is known for high prices, but each did the math for what their American-made jean should cost—and both came up with a similar number.
The prices are higher because American labor and overhead are higher, and the scale that can reduce cost is no longer available for American factories.

The ones that they do list that still make jeans in the US are niche brands that I've never purchased from in the first place:

Todd Shelton
Raleigh Denim Workshop
Shockoe Atelier
Railcar Fine Goods
Dearborn Denim
Round House Jeans
Glenn’s Denim
Blue Delta

So probably I don't need to do anything different there.

3 comments

Bourbon distillers who invested time and money cultivating markets in Europe and Canada are now worried about becoming “collateral damage” in escalating tit-for-tat disputes.
Bourbon is made in states that voted for this. It's not collateral damage, it's face-eating leopards eating their faces.
"Bread and circuses" only works when you make bread and circuses available to the people. They're starting to take them away and people are not going to stand for this bullshit without their creature comforts.
But it’s a world-renowned Kentucky product, bourbon, that’s become a prime target for retaliation. In Canada, some liquor stores have cleared American spirits from their shelves. Across the Atlantic, the EU will raise tariffs on American beef, poultry, bourbon and motorcycles, peanut butter and jeans.
Those are targeted tariffs aimed at creating political pressure on Trump to stop the trade war.
If I drank Kentucky bourbon here in the US, I'd stop too. I mean, sucks for the bourbon guys --- while some manufacturers no doubt wanted tariffs, those guys won't have --- but I want the tariffs stopped too, and given that elections are some time away, that's really my only available near-term input on the tariff conflict.
I guess I eat beef, chicken and peanut butter. Can probably live without that for the duration; probably possible to get non-US-originating stuff, do my bit to increase pressure. Can probably get non-US-originating jeans. :-/
I wish that the Canucks would put up recommended alternatives.
goes hunting
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=imported+peanut+butter&i=grocery
Okay "imported peanut butter" seems to provide hits from Canada and the Netherlands.
I have no idea on jeans.
I doubt that it's possible to easily get non-US-originating chicken in the US. The US is globally-competitive in chicken production, and it's expensive to ship. Probably just need to eat an alternative.
EDIT: It sounds like most jeans manufacture moved out of the US some time ago, so if you're getting jeans in the US, unless you're going out of your way to get domestically-manufactured ones, they're probably imports anyway.
https://toddshelton.com/blog/about-todd-shelton/made-in-america/best-jeans-made-in-usa
No more household names like Levi’s, Wrangler, or Lee
The Big 3: Levi’s, Wrangler, and Lee no longer make jeans in America. A few years ago, Levi’s and Wrangler sold a Made in USA jean for over $200—but a recent search shows both have been discontinued.
Even well-known brands like AG Jeans and Lucky, which still have a reputation for USA made jeans, no longer make jeans here.
People looking to buy American made jeans will need to be willing to get familiar with a new brand, because there are no more household names making jeans in America.
Adjusting to what an American-made jean should cost
For many readers who want to buy made in America jeans, adjusting to the higher prices will be a challenge.
Keep in mind, Levi’s and Wrangler sold made in USA jeans a few years ago and were priced at $250 and $275, respectively. Neither brand is known for high prices, but each did the math for what their American-made jean should cost—and both came up with a similar number.
The prices are higher because American labor and overhead are higher, and the scale that can reduce cost is no longer available for American factories.
The ones that they do list that still make jeans in the US are niche brands that I've never purchased from in the first place:
Todd Shelton
Raleigh Denim Workshop
Shockoe Atelier
Railcar Fine Goods
Dearborn Denim
Round House Jeans
Glenn’s Denim
Blue Delta
So probably I don't need to do anything different there.