From tariffs to "The Abortion Pill," the ideologues are on the march.

America does produce and sell its own aluminum on international markets. In 2017, the United States shipped $11.6 billion worth of aluminum to its trade partners. However, American revenues from exported aluminum fall far short of the -$23.4 billion that the US spent on imported aluminum thus resulting in a -$11.8 billion product category deficit.

The USA, in order to instill tariffs has to prohibit exports to ensure reasonable aluminum costs to industries such as the automotive and airplane industries.

These are the suppliers of aluminum to the USA. Their products being imported with begin tariffs tomorrow.

I don't know what Trump is thinking, but, it makes for extremely expensive products manufactured in the USA if it is exporting it's own aluminium while importing more.

The only way tariffs make sense is if it protects American aluminum. The domestic manufacturers are getting value for their product.

The list above shows India as the first in manufacturing. India is not the first in imported aluminum YET. India is growing to be a major exporter to the USA. The same holds true with Bahrain. The list below are the current top 15 exports to the USA. We receive 86.3 percent of imports from these countries.

May 1, 2018
By Daniel Workman

In 2017, (click here) the United States of America imported US$23.4 billion worth of aluminum (British spelling aluminium) from a total 130 global trade partners. That dollar amount reflects a 49.3% increase since 2013 and an aggressive 24.9% uptick from 2016 to 2017.

Trump may be trying to pay for his tax cuts and budget deficits. 130 trading partners are a lot when considering there are 195 countries (click here) in the world. It is the only thing that makes sense to me. By imposing tariffs on 130 countries the income will be quick. It is not as though he is using the tariffs in a strategic way, but, more in volume with quick returns.

Aluminum is the world’s most used metal excluding iron. Typically blended into an alloy, aluminum is most commonly combined with zinc, copper, silicon, magnesium and manganese. Pure aluminum is silvery-white, non-magnetic and is also notable for its low density, relatively light weight and resistance to corrosion.

US import data presented below is at the two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level, specifically 76 for aluminum and articles made with aluminum.

Of the $23.4 billion in total American imports under HTS code 76 (click here), 46.8% is unfinished aluminum, 14.7% is aluminum plates and sheets, 7.4% is miscellaneous aluminum, 6% is for aluminum structures such as towers or bridges, 5% is aluminum tableware, kitchenware or other household items, 4.9% is aluminum foil, 4.5% is aluminum bars and rods, 4.4% is aluminum scrap, 3.3% is aluminum wire while 0.9% is aluminum pipes and tubes. The remaining 2.2% is for other aluminum product subcategories including fittings, powder or flakes and specialized containers.

If the USA were ever to remove income taxes of all kinds (Amendment 16 of the USA Constitution - click here), it has to have a scheme similar to this. The problem is that Americans can eventually pay no tax at all, but, it will be paying more for products either produced in the USA (imported aluminum) or abroad (tariffs assigned to products made from or with aluminum). It is sort of a back door tax. Rather than paying income tax, the cost is paid for higher prices of goods.

The Tea Party ideology, as well as the Libertarians (Rand Paul), want to repeal the 16th Amendment to the USA Constitution. When the USA was first a country it raised income through tariffs on goods. 

Unpacking a debate as old as the United States itself (click here)

I am fairly certain this is about party ideology and not American jobs. Americans are losing jobs within it's borders due to the tariffs. Nothing else makes sense. There is no competition for aluminum produced in the USA. If the USA could not sell OR USE it's aluminum because it produced too much and not able to compete on a domestic and/or foreign market, the tariffs might begin to fall into line as a prudent decision to protect American jobs and manufacturing. That isn't happening. The only thing that makes sense is that tariffs will pay for the President's tax cuts and increasing budget deficits which raises the USA debt. The debt is an issue and he is making it worse with his tax cuts. This is an attempt to bring immediate income to the US Treasury to improve the re-election balance sheet. At the same time he is stroking his base in that PERHAPS with enough tariff income the 16th Amendment can be repealed.

The Tea Party ideology can be traced in most if not all Trump's decisions, including racism. The Arkansas abortion law is the same thing. It is their ideology that crosses the line between church and state. The Tea Party wants a theocracy and Arkansas is the first step forward.

The Arkansas abortion issue is a direct attack on women. It is one of the most hideous bills I have ever witnessed. It goes to the heart of the ideology that a fertilized human egg is a person. There is every indication the Tea Party ideology will remove women from the work place and this is the first indication. Women, instead of contraception (Which is what Plan B is in reality.), will be forced to get a hysterectomy to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

My concern is that hysterectomies will be sought by younger and younger women. If that were to happen the birth rate would drop as well.

Plan B is a contraception because it prevents implantation, no different than an IUD. Neither of those methods has ever been called chemical or physical abortion. The political ideology is hideous.

...Planned Parenthood (click here) said it had found no doctors willing to enter a contract because of fear of retribution.  The decision clears the way for the state to enforce its law though the court challenge will continue.  Arkansas becomes the only state in the country with an effective man on medicine abortions, considered safer than surgical abortions....

The AMA needs to set standards for women receiving abortions and include any chemical methodology and why it is safe. There is nothing stopping ideologues to put pressure on other doctors REGARDLESS the safety and good record of the surgeon. The AMA has to be the third party to these cases that leverage professional methodologies against voodoo medical politics.

According to the American Pregnancy Association (APA), (click here) a non-profit organization that promotes pregnancy wellness, a medication abortion involves two oral medications — one taken in a doctor's office or clinic, and another taken six to 48 hours later — that can be used in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy to trigger contractions that expel the fetus....

...Approximately 2 to 4 individuals out of a 100 will discover a failed abortion attempt with a continuation of their pregnancy. If this is the case, you would need to return to the clinic for a second attempt at a medical abortion or more than likely, a surgical option....

The ideologues feel a defeat regardless of the one clinic decision in Texas. To begin:

A California study in 2013 proved women's clinics with other than surgeons are very capable of performing abortions when trained AND abortion is one of the safest procedures a woman can have.

Conclusions. (click here) Abortion complications were clinically equivalent between newly trained NPs, CNMs, and PAs and physicians, supporting the adoption of policies to allow these providers to perform early aspirations to expand access to abortion care.

Then add to that the fact "The Abortion Pill" is feared to become a telemedicine drug and women can have an abortion at home through their pharmacy. This is an endorsement by Medicaid for telemedicines because it controls costs.

For purposes of Medicaid, (click here) telemedicine seeks to improve a patient's health by permitting two-way, real time interactive communication between the patient, and the physician or practitioner at the distant site. This electronic communication means the use of interactive telecommunications equipment that includes, at a minimum, audio and video equipment.

Telemedicine is viewed as a cost-effective alternative to the more traditional face-to-face way of providing medical care (e.g., face-to-face consultations or examinations between provider and patient) that states can choose to cover under Medicaid. This definition is modeled on Medicare's definition of telehealth services (42 CFR 410.78). Note that the federal Medicaid statute does not recognize telemedicine as a distinct service....

The abortion pill will never be administered through Medicaid, but, it is interesting to realize that telemedicines are an approved method of administering to patients at a distance. 

So, to complete the picture, "The Abortion Pill," could become an easy way of having an abortion within the first ten weeks of an unwanted pregnancy. As a telemedicine a state could have a single abortion clinic and yet reach women that could not normally drive to the clinic for an abortion. That is the nightmare of the ideologues. That is why "The Abortion Pill," is under assault.