Bob Brewer, Author at Braumiller Consulting Group

Tariffs, and the Temptation to Use Them as Geopolitical Leverage

December 16, 2024

The United States has a long history of using tariffs. The first significant tariff legislation was the Tariff Act of 1789, signed by President George Washington. Tariffs have been used for various purposes over the years, including protecting domestic industries, generating government revenue, and negotiating trade agreements. The use of tariffs however has evolved, with significant changes during different historical periods, such as the high tariffs of the 19th century and the shift towards free trade in the mid-20th century, as well as the current U.S. trade war with China, and possibly soon to be with Mexico and Canada.

China and Walmart, Please, for the Love of ____, Let’s Observe a Silver Lining Partnership in an Otherwise Dismal Global Landscape

October 8, 2024

At a glance, gauging where we stand in our relationship with China overall, one would assume the key operative word in most descriptions would be “dismal” at best. This is of course accurate to a certain extent but looking at trade and commerce between the two countries, let’s take a look at the largest retailer in the U.S. as Walmart gives us a prime example of where we stand regarding unity as nations.

Coming Soon: A New Polar Icebreaker Competition in the Arctic Region for Trade Route Supremacy

August 21, 2024

The US, Canada, and Finland are launching a joint partnership to build more ice-breaking ships to compete with China and Russia in Arctic. Sad but true, here we go again. Whether it’s the South China sea, or even the moon, there will be territorial disputes to challenge ownership where no ownership should actually exist. The pact aims to produce a fleet of ice-breaking ships to display a posture of power in the polar regions and enforce international norms and treaties.

BRICS–A Focus on De-Dollarization and Global Expansion

June 10, 2024

The new world order apparently has some merit as more than 30 nations have reportedly submitted applications to join the BRICS alliance wanting to reduce reliance on the US dollar. This wave of applications is a testament to the trust in the BRICS alliance as a viable option to a traditional economic structure. The BRICS alliance has broad shoulders and is representative of considerable economic growth.

De Minimis An Ever-Growing Problem of De Maximus ProportionDe Minimis

April 2, 2024

De minimis is a term that refers to a threshold below which certain goods are exempt from import duties or taxes. However, in the landscape of international trade, it has become a contentious issue for the United States. Those “bad actors”, and even some, not so bad, but willing to take advantage of a loophole have found a way around the tariffs. This so-called loophole of allowing goods with a fair retail value of $800 or less to enter the U.S. without paying an import tariff has become a monster that Customs needs to find a way to deal with conclusively.

Parallel Imports, A Global Phenomenon, And a Very Grey Area Regarding International Trade

February 5, 2024

At the core of the definition, a Parallel import is a non-counterfeit product imported from another country without the permission of the intellectual property owner. They are also goods that are not authorized for importation into the U.S. It’s a global phenomenon, a very grey area, and their presence varies across different parts of the globe.

U.S. Trade, Nearshoring & China Mexico is Becoming a Popular Manufacturing Destination

November 10, 2023

The implementation of trade policies in what many consider acts of protectionism and manipulation are the norm, and of course China and the U.S. are a prime example. Solutions include nearshoring, reshoring, and protectionism. It’s complicated, so for the purpose of this article, let’s stick with nearshoring.

Hot Topics in International Trade: Deep Thoughts by Bob

November 3, 2023

Bob Brewer discusses international trade and an upcoming meeting between President Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping. He discusses the Chinese threat to Taiwan and whether Xi will take lessons from Putin and is invasion of Ukraine.

Taiwan – U.S. 21st Century Trade Initiative, More Than Just a Trade Agreement. A Statement to Beijing Perhaps

August 7, 2023

A little over a year ago on June 1, 2022, the United States and Taiwan launched the United States-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade to deepen their economic ties and trade relationship, and advance mutual trade priorities based on shared values, promoting innovation, and economic growth for workers and businesses.

Despite Geopolitical Tension…Can Robust Bilateral Trade Exist? Australia and China, a Good Example Perhaps

June 6, 2023

It’s a little awkward, but in fact, a reality in this day and age that bilateral trade between two countries who view each other as somewhat adversarial, can co-exist economically. As the world turns, so does global trade, take Australia and China for the shining example.

Bob Brewer

Bob Brewer

Tariffs, and the Temptation to Use Them as Geopolitical Leverage

China and Walmart, Please, for the Love of ____, Let’s Observe a Silver Lining Partnership in an Otherwise Dismal Global Landscape

Coming Soon: A New Polar Icebreaker Competition in the Arctic Region for Trade Route Supremacy

BRICS–A Focus on De-Dollarization and Global Expansion

De Minimis An Ever-Growing Problem of De Maximus ProportionDe Minimis

Parallel Imports, A Global Phenomenon, And a Very Grey Area Regarding International Trade

U.S. Trade, Nearshoring & China Mexico is Becoming a Popular Manufacturing Destination

Hot Topics in International Trade: Deep Thoughts by Bob

Taiwan – U.S. 21st Century Trade Initiative, More Than Just a Trade Agreement. A Statement to Beijing Perhaps

Despite Geopolitical Tension…Can Robust Bilateral Trade Exist? Australia and China, a Good Example Perhaps

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