Letters: Lower-paid Americans may bear the brunt of Trump’s tariff war; meth trade flourishes because rewards outweigh risks

Only time will tell if Donald Trump's policies are the way to improve the lives the lower-paid and unemployed population of America. Photo / Getty Images

Letters to the Editor

Letter of the week

Trade wars

The tariff wars are a result of the Trump economic promises to make America great again. America was disappointed in Barack Obama, and felt that his promises failed to eventuate, or improve the lot of the lower paid workers, and so we see the reaction to his failure with the Donald Trump regime.

Whether the new tariffs do what Trump intended by “making America rich again” after decades of neglect and shuttered factories and small town unemployment and drug use and escalating crime remains to be seen.

However, Trump was correct in one sense: that America had very low tariffs on many imported goods, which lead to the failure of domestic manufacturers and shuttered factories, with unemployment following. But only time will tell if his policy is the way to better and improve the lives the lower-paid and unemployed population of his America.

Bruce Woodley, Birkenhead.

Second harbour crossing

The Auckland Harbour Bridge was constructed in the shape and height that it is to enable commercial shipping to continue to access the Chelsea Sugar Refinery northwest of the bridge.

Seventy years on, hindsight tells us that shifting the sugar works would have been a far smarter option.

In the 1950s, the sugar works weren’t the iconic heritage building it is today, nor were the boating clubs and moorings (there were no marinas) of the Upper Harbour home to the huge numbers of very large pleasure craft they are today.

And while a new feasibility study for a second harbour crossing is just getting under way, history serves to remind us that in New Zealand our bureaucrats have been practising small-mindedness for a very long time. Good chance history will repeat itself.

Phil Chitty, Albany.

Best of friends?

How can the United States be anyone’s friend? Trump’s trying to start a trade war just to make America wealthy not us, or our trading partners. We should not stand by and say nothing like Christopher Luxon and Winston Peters.

Extremely stupid comments like we’re “well-positioned” (on the edge of a cliff) and next minute our sharemarket collapses show Luxon’s naivety just like Chamberlain using Phil Goff’s analogy. We know Luxon’s sorted with his houses but tourism, hospitality and trade must be affected if the whole world is heading to a recession.

A real test of Luxon’s credibility under brutal economic fire from Washington is playing out. Does “our friend Trump” care one iota about us, Ukraine or Canada?

If the US is still our friend then Anthony Albanese put it succinctly “these are not the actions of a friend”.

Goff couldn’t “stand by” as Luxon and Peters have or “drink pink gins” as Ian MacGregor wrote in the Herald on Sunday (April 6) so was sacked for telling it like it is: a maniac is surrounding himself with henchmen equally narcissistic and threatening the world with vindictive ultimatums. Call it out, Luxon.

Steve Russell, Hillcrest.

Parliamentary protocols

Te Pāti Māori’s decision not to attend the Parliamentary Privileges Committee hearing sets a dangerous precedence. By walking away from this process, they are refusing to justify their actions within the democratic process.

In their defence, Te Pāti Māori MP Debbie Ngarewa-Packer broadly stated that the Privileges Committee does not align with their cultural world view or tikanga. If this is the case then why are they in Parliament in the first place?

They must have known that certain protocols need to be adhered to within the constraints of Parliament and that certain actions have to be challenged if deemed to be potentially disruptive.

After all, attending a marae involves certain protocols to ensure respect for Māori customs and protocols. To insist that these protocols be enforced in this context but to say that protocols don’t apply to them in another is, in the words of Shane Jones, to endeavour to “escape accountability” and invite chaos, ultimately leading to anarchy.

Bernard Walker, Mount Maunganui.

Increased meth use

The meth trade flourishes because the rewards outweigh the risks. Certainly those caught are subject to significant terms of imprisonment; however they are still provided with three meals per day, a bed, hot showers, television and, albeit illegally, access to cellphones from which they can continue their nefarious trade.

There are no redeeming features for those engaged in this trade and their punishment should be draconian with hard labour and minimal privileges. Terms of imprisonment should be consecutive rather than concurrent and parole should be non-existent.

Perhaps then they would think twice before acting.

Ray Gilbert, Pāpāmoa Beach.