this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2025
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European Union leaders will consider imposing 25 percent tariffs on a range of US imports, including steel, clothes, and food, but not bourbon or other alcoholic drinks, following US President Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on imports from the EU.

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[–] [email protected] 155 points 1 week ago (10 children)

Big mistake. They should focus on Bourbon and food. That will hit MAGAts the hardest.

[–] [email protected] 88 points 1 week ago (7 children)

No, bourbon and food is small fry.

Internet services headquartered in the US. That's the real deal.

Require a $100/per computer/per year on-going tax (phased in very slowly over 36 months, with extremely slow ramp in the first 18 months) for every enterprise Windows installation. Then figure out a similar approach for cloud computing and mobile enterprise (targeting Android/iOS). That's how you grab the Americans by the balls.

[–] [email protected] 47 points 1 week ago (16 children)

That windows tax sounds like a way to bring about the year of the Linux desktop and I like that idea.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That windows tax sounds like a way to bring about the year of the Linux desktop and I like that idea.

I recognize the irony of "year of linux on the desktop", but we (not only EU, I say this as someone from non-EU Europe) should not be giving the Americans money. They've proven that they are unreliable and unwilling to deal with corruption and degeneracy in their country. No disrespect to sane Americans, but at the end of the day they too need to make things happen.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago (3 children)

For the record, I'm american. Entire current situation aside, I would prefer my chosen operating system have more support and if I can at least get that out of the destruction of the only country I've ever lived in I mean that's something I guess.

But yeah you probably shouldn't be financing the Nazis of the 2020s that is true, and taxing people who do would probably cut down on that.

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Lets be realistic here, everything from MAGA dominated states is small fry, they are not exactly the most productive states.

[–] lobut 9 points 1 week ago
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[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Even better: services. Tariff Facebook ads, Netflix subscriptions, Office 365, Amazon Prime. If the corporations want to pull the strings in government, hit them directly.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Yes, that would be part of it. Windows on enterprise is just a good, simple example.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago

Invoke anti coercion regulations and suspend intellectual property rights of the US companies. Job done.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think that surprising amount of them are already located in Ireland for that and other tax related possibilities. Giant corporations are basically pirates sailing on lawless waters.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Target HQ based on consolidated financial account reporting not regional HQ. Doesn't matter if you have a regional subsidiary in Ireland or Moldova. If the final accounts/HQs are US-based all transactions in Europe get hit with massive on-going subscription-style tariffs (since ICT services are largely subscription based).

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (12 children)

If only tax-evasion was so easily solved. The are not shy of restructuring completely just to fit into any gap that law created. On paper "BigBadCorpo US" and "BigBadCorpo Irealand" could be two completely separate entities, with BBCI turning zero to no profits becouse it license brand from BBCUS.

You would think that Worner Bross is a movie making company. It's not. On paper it's a company that lend very overprices movie equipment. To shell companies created solely for the purpose of creating one movie...

Taxes are hard and people who employ literal armies of layers have the edge over slow law making.

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Yeah, that's an odd one to leave out. US alcohol isn't any form of necessity either.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Maybe it's to avoid tarrifs on European alcohols?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

Maybe there's a export like rye that the EU provides

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

kentuckys economy is exclusively bourban, or at least most of it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago

And Kentucky is full of magats

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[–] [email protected] 59 points 1 week ago (8 children)

There's Irish Scottish and Japanese whisky which are in my opinion superior anyway, should take a leaf from Canadas book and take them off the shelves.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Yup. Bourbon is way over rated.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Four Roses is nice for the price

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Still way too harsh. Irish whiskey and Highland scotch are far smoother and more tasty.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Ardbeg is one of my absolute favourites, I'm more into Islay

[–] ILikeBoobies 3 points 6 days ago

Canada makes rye whiskey

When I did drink, I found bourbon too sweet

[–] BlackSheep 24 points 1 week ago

As a Canadian, I don’t give a rat’s ass what other countries do. I WILL NOT buy anything American. Full stop!!

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 week ago (1 children)

American spirits are mixers here, I'll use bourbon if I want a cocktail but if I want a glass of something - I dont reach for american.

I dont want them off the shelves though, I wan america to revwrse course and be fucking normal before we end up at war.

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Someone in charge likely has a bourbon cellar. If you’ve ever had good bourbon, you’ll understand. Small amounts of the top shelf bourbon can be like good chocolate.

Or they’re practiced lushes and don’t want any alcohol price increases.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (14 children)

Found the American.

It’s all Whiskey, it having to be made in the USA is the only distinction of it being Bourbon.

There’s plenty of Whiskeys, Ryes and Corn Whiskeys that blow Bourbon out of the water.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

I think they're avoiding it because of the exports of wine, champagn, beer, etc. out of the EU more than anything, but that's just a (very slightly) educated guess.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

Just the initial wave. The next one should be a way bigger response to the blanket EU tariff

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