AJAZZ AK820 keyboard
Published:
AJAZZ AK820 is a fine 75% layout keyboard. (And a little rant about transatlantic taxation.)
I bought the keyboard a couple weeks ago, and I like it. What I do not like are full layout keyboards. I do not use the numpad, so they are just a waste of space (and money, since they usually cost more). Now I have a keyboard that is smaller, but has all the keys I actually use. Great.
The holy Grail of a keyboard ie, the Launch by System76 remains in the realm of dreams. The base price, $285 at the time of writing, is steep. Add to it the cost of shipping, a bit more than a $100, and it gets even more expensive to get it.
Transatlantic trade and taxes
However, the situation gets obscene when you add to it the fact that to import the keyboard to Europe you need to pay:
- import duties
- VAT on the base price
- VAT on the cost of shipping
Especially the last item is just ridiculous. I understand the idea of import taxes intended to protect local industry. I even agree that having local industry be competitive is a good thing. Having those taxes be levied on industrial goods flowing from the US to Europe, or vice-versa, is counterproductive, though.
First, I am not aware of any company in Europe that manufactures keyboards, so, pray tell, what domestic industry are those import taxes supposed to protect? The drop-shippers adding their markup on keyboards from China? If that is the case, then I would rather the taxes be removed, the dropshippers' "businesses" to die, and buy directly from China.
Second, why is trade between allies taxed? If european politicians are afraid that eg, production in Europe is more expensive than in the US, then maybe, instead of putting up trade barriers they ought to ask why is production in Europe more expensive. They could come to the conclusion thay maybe, just maybe, strangling european industry with outright punitive CO2 emission taxes is not the brightest idea. Maybe they could even see the light, and realise that lowering income taxes to make labour cheaper is a wonderful idea too.
The same goes in the other direction too, though. Both the US and Europe should stop acting stupid when it comes to taxation and cooperation.
For Milton Friedman's sake! The taxes on both sides do not improve the situation, and just make life less affordable for regular people. If politicians are afraid of China, maybe they should stop choking domestic industry with taxes instead of adding more of them.
I would gladly buy electronics made by my neighbout, but the only companies that can survive in Europe are the ones charging astronomical sums of money for their products, so I am just unable to afford them. No amount of import taxes will change this fact.