In 1942, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was the president and I was just an eighth-grader in a civics class in Los Angeles, our teacher made a stark distinction between Republicans and Democrats by saying the only difference was their stance on protective tariffs. While Republicans favored them, Democrats did not. At the time, I was clueless about what a tariff actually meant. Fast forward 83 years, and thanks to a president named Trump, I’ve witnessed firsthand what this economically questionable idea entails, as my stock investments have seen significant dips. Now, tariffs are clear as day to me.
How might tariffs, designed to boost the U.S. economy at the expense of Mexico’s, impact immigration? Poverty and desperation are massive drivers pushing people to flock to the United States. Tariffs are likely to make this issue even worse. Let’s be realistic—raising a wall, no matter how high, won’t deter immigrants determined to seek better lives.
Wouldn’t it make more sense for both countries to thrive, rather than impoverishing one and forcing the other to spend heavily defending against the poverty-stricken next door?
Perhaps Canada and Mexico can take the high road and eliminate import taxes on food, easing the burden on those struggling the most.
Back in 2018, when then-President Trump famously declared “Trade wars are good, and easy to win,” many were skeptical—including myself. We shall see how this pans out.
The president has now strategically delayed tariffs for a month to support our auto industry. It’s a shrewd political tactic, arguably one of the savviest moves in our country’s political history! I’ve been curious if he’d ever turn his rhetoric into action, and it appears he has. This decision is anticipated to stabilize our economy and bring some much-needed relief to the stock market. Way to go, Mr. President!
Interestingly, Trump himself renegotiated the trade agreements with Canada and Mexico in 2020. If he’s truly such a skilled negotiator, why is he now second-guessing the very deal he orchestrated as being against our nation’s best interests?
President Trump’s recent policies on tariffs remind me of the philosopher George Santayana’s words: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” It’s eerily similar to Herbert Hoover’s ill-fated policy response during the Great Depression.
These past six weeks have been quite the education! Who would’ve thought that the solution to inflation could involve slapping a 25% tariff on everything we purchase?
