President Trump: The NEW one and only politics thread

Unless Boeing is forced to produce goods for the U.S. government at whatever price the government dictates, there are elements of a market to it all, actually.

In this case, the government is the buyer and Boeing is seller. That is certainly a market. I think you are muddling two concepts: a market-based transactions done freely by both sides(which this is). ... and the fact that what we are doing is discussing the government buying something privately.

In an actual market (in which the buyers and sellers are free), this is EXACTLY what leads to transactions. All Trump was doing was negotiating a price. He may be a lout and a grandstander and an idiot, and he may be doing it publicly (using his bully pulpit), which comes across unseemly for a lot of people from a president elect. But unless there is some element of force or coercion or bribery (with Trump threatening to pull other Boeing projects, for example, and tying government graft to the transaction), they are each free to transact or not transact. Presumably, Lockhead Martin is standing by, perhaps ready to produce the planes for less.

Just because it is the government buying the planes. ... You seem to be suggesting that if the government doesn't just accept Boeing's price it isn't a "free market." Of course it is. What makes it a free market is that both sides can negotiate (what they are doing, actually -- they are just doing it very publicly) and that they don't have to transact unless it makes sense for both of them.

If you walk into P.C. Richard to buy a refrigerator and you say, "I am OK with you making money off of me, but that is too much". ... and they agree to a lower price. ... Does that mean it wasn't a free market transaction?