美国国家公共电台 NPR As U.S. Steelmakers Cheer Tariffs, A Michigan Factory's Future Looks Bleak

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

American steelmakers are excited about President Trump¹'s proposal to put 25 percent tariffs³ on imported steel. They say the tariffs will help level the playing field against competitors in China. But in one Michigan county that voted heavily for Donald Trump, some people worry that any tariffs could force a big local plant to shut down. What's going on there? Well, here's Interlochen Public Radio's Aaron Selbig.

AARON SELBIG, BYLINE⁴: The town of Big Rapids straddles the Muskegon River as it winds from northern Michigan's hardwood forests to Lake Michigan. A century ago, this town played a key role in the timber industry. Some of the old riverfront lumber⁵ buildings like the one that houses Simonds International remain.

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SELBIG: Simonds makes blades and knives - really big knives. Dave Campbell is the plant manager here.

DAVE CAMPBELL: And they're not your mother's kitchen cutlery. They're anywhere from 8 to 80 pounds - hardened steel.

SELBIG: The steel products here end up in the lumber industry, and they're made from a type of steel that isn't produced by any U.S. mill.

CAMPBELL: There is only four mills in the world that we're aware of that provide these. Two are in Europe, and two are in China.

SELBIG: Marina McGee buys the raw steel they need from Europe.

MARINA MCGEE: If we could buy it in the U.S., we would happily do that and stop paying all these freight fees and everything else we're paying to bring it in.

SELBIG: McGee says a 25 percent steel tariff² would be devastating⁶, and it would give her foreign competitors a big advantage.

MCGEE: This plant could shut down, and all 80 employees here - a lot of very good people - could lose their jobs.

SELBIG: Professor Linda Lim studies global trade at the University of Michigan. She says anytime there's a big new tariff on a global commodity like steel, there are winners and losers. In this situation, Lim says, steelworkers and investors⁷ in steel companies will be the immediate⁸ winners, but it may not last.

LINDA LIM: Because if Ford⁹ and Boeing and Caterpillar¹⁰ lose market share globally and in the U.S. due to more expensive steel, they will sell less cars, tractors and planes.

SELBIG: As foreign companies increase market share, that becomes a double whammy for American manufacturers. Not only will they have to pay a lot more for imported steel but, Lim says, their foreign competitors will pay less

LIM: For example, if this company in Michigan can no longer buy the steel from Germany, well, then the Germans will cut the price. So whoever is making a competitive will have cheaper steel, and that product will then be in market share in the United States.

SELBIG: A few of those foreign companies compete directly with Simonds, and while President Trump's proposed tariffs aren't in place yet, Simonds workers are worried. Dave Campbell says most of them voted for Trump.

CAMPBELL: I think the individuals here that may have supported President Trump will be disappointed - will be somewhat concerned that some of the actions he's taking may disadvantage them and disadvantage the company they work for and disadvantage their job prospects¹¹ down the road.

SELBIG: Simonds is now trying to band together with its suppliers, and even its competitors, to try to assure that any possible tariff regulation has an exemption¹² for the foreign-made steel it needs. For NPR News, I'm Aaron Selbig.

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1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

3 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 lumber   

n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动

参考例句：

• The truck was sent to carry lumber.卡车被派出去运木材。
• They slapped together a cabin out of old lumber.他们利用旧木料草草地盖起了一间小屋。

6 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

7 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

10 caterpillar   

n.毛虫，蝴蝶的幼虫

参考例句：

• A butterfly is produced by metamorphosis from a caterpillar.蝴蝶是由毛虫脱胎变成的。
• A caterpillar must pass through the cocoon stage to become a butterfly.毛毛虫必须经过茧的阶段才能变成蝴蝶。

11 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

12 exemption   

n.豁免，免税额，免除

参考例句：

• You may be able to apply for exemption from local taxes.你可能符合资格申请免除地方税。
• These goods are subject to exemption from tax.这些货物可以免税。