Donald Trump imposed no tariffs. We have no tariffs, any more than the EU, China, Canada, Mexico, India, Australia, the Philippines or Vietnam have tariffs on us. Fair trade means no tariffs. We should impose no tariffs, any more than foreign nations should impose tariffs on us. The world should call America to account for being the only country on earth charging tariffs. There, I said it. CNN seldom uses the term, so they call attention to “reciprocal” tariffs. Yes, they call them, “the President’s ‘reciprocal’ tariffs.”
Reciprocal means in return. As in back atcha. China, for instance, would charge between 12% and 67% for the past 50 years if they imposed tariffs on us. Canada would include tariffs up to 240% on dairy products if they were protecting their dairy farmers, or 80% on most building products. Good thing they play by the rules, huh? That Trump sure is a scoundrel, huh?
This rare glimpse of Rand Paul shows how abjectly weird Kentucky’s Senate is. Judging by the tariffs alone, one might see extra income for the Pauls and McConnells both. The only way to read “free trade” is “without government or financial interference.” It’s like throwing us to the lions, Rand, and saying, “play nice.” Yes, Rand. Please use your political position to make it right. Fight against tariffs against America. It seems awfully strange to see you and Mitch on the same side of weird, conservatively.
Consider this statement condemning tariffs that will “affect $350 billion of imports and exports and increase consumer costs by roughly $51 billion annually.” This from AAF (American Action Forum) condemning existing steel import tariffs from Trump’s first term. The fact that US Steel went from almost gone to breaking ground on a new, ultra-modern facility in Arkansas would suffice. Steel is now half of the price it was before Trump started messing with it. Bulk roll steel was well over $2,000/ton, now it costs under $1,000. But tariffs apparently increased costs by roughly $51 billion to make it so. How can you complain about that?
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