[Mase]

We're going to have taxes, so no reason some of them or even most of them can't be tariffs.

The free traders I know are pragmatic people. They understand that federal income taxes aren't going away and that repealing the 16th Amendment is for the Pollyannas among us. That being so, we support free trade agreements that lower tariffs to zero. It's good for consumers and good for industry.

You can spend hours defining terms and labeling people but, at the end of the day, I'm only interested in what's going to work, and work quickly. Arguing that we should lower federal income taxes in favor of increasing tariffs might make for great classroom discussion but that's all it is.

[triumphant values]

It's good for consumers and good for industry.

There are winners and losers and we're arguing over who and whom.

Arguing that we should lower federal income taxes in favor of increasing tariffs might make for great classroom discussion but that's all it is.

As quickly as we've gotten to here it's in no way merely an academic debate to reverse course. The tax regime in place now isn't holy writ.