Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Seven, twenty two here on Houston's Morning News. Liberation days,
how President Trump refers to it. So are we really
going to feel liberated at the end of the day today,
Let's let's ask somebody who knows a little something more
about this. He's chairman of the House Committee on Small Business.
Representative Roger Williams joins us, I know you're a fan
of what the president is doing. Quite frankly, I'm a
(00:22):
fan of what the president's doing. But do you have
any concerns because today, for example, if the automotive tariffs happen,
if we end up with the twenty five percent automotive tariffs,
that's going to probably affect just about every car, no
matter where it's assembled, that's sold in America. The price
is going to go up. Is this short term pain
for long term gain in your mind?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Well? Absolutely, And as you mentioned, I am I've been
in the car business. I'm a car dealer wan to
serve with car dealerships in North Texas for the last
fifty years, so we've been through some things. But no,
I totally support what the President's doing. We've got to
get a handle on this deficiency with world trade. We
need to be the you know, we need to be
the makers, we need to be the sellers of and
that'll begin to do this. As far as the auto
(01:03):
industry is concerned, I'm not concerned about the tariffs. You know,
one thing about our industry is ever retail dealers will
always find a way to sell what they have in inventory.
And if the cost of good soul goes up a
little bit because the tariffs and the and the car
may be sit on the lot, the dealers going to
sell going to discount and sell it, and the customer
is going to read the benefit of the discount. They're
(01:25):
also going to forget, don't forget, they're going to get
a tax cuts. We're going to pass the tax cuts.
And also the used car market's going to be going up.
So coupled with the discount on the purchase from the dealer,
the year's car having more value, they have more equity,
more cash in your pocket from tax cuts. I think
we're going to be just fine. I think that what
it'll do, it will settle down and the market will
(01:46):
get flat again, Okay.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
And I think that most of what the Presence has
been doing is an attempt to get countries that treat
us unfairly. Just to treat us fairly, that's all they
have to do, and the tariffs go away, right, Well.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Treat us fairly. Yeah, I mean, if you're going to
add a dollar to my mind, I'm going to add
a dollar years. But the fact of the matter is,
if these big companies in cleaning, the auto manufacturers will
commit to build their plants and expand their plants in America,
they don't have to worry about the tariffs. And I
think you're going to see more and more of that,
and what that will mean is more income, more employees,
and more customers.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
You know, as far as the impact on your business own,
it's not just it's not just what it adds to
the potential sticker price on a vehicle. It's parts. And
assuming that I'm assuming that the parts that are foreign
made for vehicles are also going to be part of
the twenty five percent tariff. So you can build the
car in the United States, but if you're using parts
(02:37):
that come from overseas, then there'll be a tariff on
the parts. Have you folks done any figuring in your
car dealership port. I know how busy you are in
the house there, but if you've done any figuring, I'm
what it is likely to do to the cost of
repairing a vehicle, for example, Well, we.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Don't know exactly what it's going to I think at
four o'clock in the Eastern Town the present is going
to talk exactly what content's going to look. But here's
the bottom line to any business, and certainly my industry,
is we've got to work under the conditions that we
find them, and that's all we can do. And I
know in the auto industry we will find a way
to get our prices in line. We will find a
way to make sure the consumer can afford to purchase
(03:15):
a vehicle. And I think at the end of the day,
we'll have more plants here. I think you're going to
see more improvements on existing plants. I think it's all
going to settle down and the industry will be back
where it was. You know, we had tariffs back in
twenty sixteen somewhat, and they give you a little jolt
at the beginning, but they settle in and again the
customer I think will benefit. I think at the end
(03:35):
of the day, when you couple the things I've talked
about between discounts, between equities and used cars and prices
that use cars, and more cash from tax tax cuts.
I think he actually could buy a vehicle today with
a tariff on it as opposed to one without. I
think you could buy it for less money.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Interesting, Okay, Represented Williams. I'm curious here because I know
that President Trump has made a lot about now potentially
maybe we could do away with the income tax. Maybe
this country used to be able to fund itself on
tariffs and tariffs alone. Do you think we could ever
get back to that. Do you see under any circumstances
where we could abolish or at least significantly reduce the
(04:15):
federal income tax?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Well, I think most of us, most of your listeners
would agree at least let's try it, for heaven's sakes, right,
But you know, pre nineteen thirteen, there wasn't any income tax. Tariffs,
as you said, funded the government. And we have such
a huge economy here, and you bring other companies into America,
the employ American workers. I mean, who knows we might
be able to do it. It's certainly worth a try.
(04:38):
I think most people would say let's try it and see,
because it you know, taxes are burdened. But at the
same time, we're going to cut taxes come the end
of this month, hopefully into April, and we'll see a
huge tax decrease, which means more money in the pockets
of the consumer and more opportunities. So I say, let's
try it, but let's also have our eyes wide open
if we won't work, cutting taxes is the way to.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Go, all right. I agree with you, sir, Thank you
for your time today. Good to talk to you. Appreciate it.
That is Representative Roger Williams from North Texas, Chairman of
the House Committee on Small Business at seven twenty seven
Seven, twenty two here on Houston's Morning News. Liberation days,
how President Trump refers to it. So are we really
going to feel liberated at the end of the day today,
Let's let's ask somebody who knows a little something more
about this. He's chairman of the House Committee on Small Business.
Representative Roger Williams joins us, I know you're a fan
of what the president is doing. Quite frankly, I'm a
(00:22):
fan of what the president's doing. But do you have
any concerns because today, for example, if the automotive tariffs happen,
if we end up with the twenty five percent automotive tariffs,
that's going to probably affect just about every car, no
matter where it's assembled, that's sold in America. The price
is going to go up. Is this short term pain
for long term gain in your mind?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Well? Absolutely, And as you mentioned, I am I've been
in the car business. I'm a car dealer wan to
serve with car dealerships in North Texas for the last
fifty years, so we've been through some things. But no,
I totally support what the President's doing. We've got to
get a handle on this deficiency with world trade. We
need to be the you know, we need to be
the makers, we need to be the sellers of and
that'll begin to do this. As far as the auto
(01:03):
industry is concerned, I'm not concerned about the tariffs. You know,
one thing about our industry is ever retail dealers will
always find a way to sell what they have in inventory.
And if the cost of good soul goes up a
little bit because the tariffs and the and the car
may be sit on the lot, the dealers going to
sell going to discount and sell it, and the customer
is going to read the benefit of the discount. They're
(01:25):
also going to forget, don't forget, they're going to get
a tax cuts. We're going to pass the tax cuts.
And also the used car market's going to be going up.
So coupled with the discount on the purchase from the dealer,
the year's car having more value, they have more equity,
more cash in your pocket from tax cuts. I think
we're going to be just fine. I think that what
it'll do, it will settle down and the market will
(01:46):
get flat again, Okay.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
And I think that most of what the Presence has
been doing is an attempt to get countries that treat
us unfairly. Just to treat us fairly, that's all they
have to do, and the tariffs go away, right, Well.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Treat us fairly. Yeah, I mean, if you're going to
add a dollar to my mind, I'm going to add
a dollar years. But the fact of the matter is,
if these big companies in cleaning, the auto manufacturers will
commit to build their plants and expand their plants in America,
they don't have to worry about the tariffs. And I
think you're going to see more and more of that,
and what that will mean is more income, more employees,
and more customers.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
You know, as far as the impact on your business own,
it's not just it's not just what it adds to
the potential sticker price on a vehicle. It's parts. And
assuming that I'm assuming that the parts that are foreign
made for vehicles are also going to be part of
the twenty five percent tariff. So you can build the
car in the United States, but if you're using parts
(02:37):
that come from overseas, then there'll be a tariff on
the parts. Have you folks done any figuring in your
car dealership port. I know how busy you are in
the house there, but if you've done any figuring, I'm
what it is likely to do to the cost of
repairing a vehicle, for example, Well, we.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Don't know exactly what it's going to I think at
four o'clock in the Eastern Town the present is going
to talk exactly what content's going to look. But here's
the bottom line to any business, and certainly my industry,
is we've got to work under the conditions that we
find them, and that's all we can do. And I
know in the auto industry we will find a way
to get our prices in line. We will find a
way to make sure the consumer can afford to purchase
(03:15):
a vehicle. And I think at the end of the day,
we'll have more plants here. I think you're going to
see more improvements on existing plants. I think it's all
going to settle down and the industry will be back
where it was. You know, we had tariffs back in
twenty sixteen somewhat, and they give you a little jolt
at the beginning, but they settle in and again the
customer I think will benefit. I think at the end
(03:35):
of the day, when you couple the things I've talked
about between discounts, between equities and used cars and prices
that use cars, and more cash from tax tax cuts.
I think he actually could buy a vehicle today with
a tariff on it as opposed to one without. I
think you could buy it for less money.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Interesting, Okay, Represented Williams. I'm curious here because I know
that President Trump has made a lot about now potentially
maybe we could do away with the income tax. Maybe
this country used to be able to fund itself on
tariffs and tariffs alone. Do you think we could ever
get back to that. Do you see under any circumstances
where we could abolish or at least significantly reduce the
(04:15):
federal income tax?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Well, I think most of us, most of your listeners
would agree at least let's try it, for heaven's sakes, right,
But you know, pre nineteen thirteen, there wasn't any income tax. Tariffs,
as you said, funded the government. And we have such
a huge economy here, and you bring other companies into America,
the employ American workers. I mean, who knows we might
be able to do it. It's certainly worth a try.
(04:38):
I think most people would say let's try it and see,
because it you know, taxes are burdened. But at the
same time, we're going to cut taxes come the end
of this month, hopefully into April, and we'll see a
huge tax decrease, which means more money in the pockets
of the consumer and more opportunities. So I say, let's
try it, but let's also have our eyes wide open
if we won't work, cutting taxes is the way to.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Go, all right. I agree with you, sir, Thank you
for your time today. Good to talk to you. Appreciate it.
That is Representative Roger Williams from North Texas, Chairman of
the House Committee on Small Business at seven twenty seven
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