Posted on 04/06/2025 7:33:22 AM PDT by MtnClimber
When President Donald Trump slapped a fresh round of tariffs on European and Asian imports, the professional hand-wringers and legacy press clodpolls sprang into choreographed action.
Headlines and television anchors blared warnings of trade wars, economic isolation, and diplomatic fallout. The bureaucratic priesthood that worships at the altar of “free trade” without reciprocity—from Brussels to Brookings—launched into familiar homilies: tariffs are regressive, Trump is reckless, and globalism is gospel.
But let’s pause the hysteria momentarily and apply something vanishingly rare in today’s media-industrial complex: perspective.
The prevailing orthodoxy treats tariffs as anathema to prosperity—an outdated relic of 19th-century mercantilism. But this overlooks a simple truth: for trade to be free, it must also be fair. For decades, American policymakers—both Democrats and Republicans—have tolerated a grotesquely asymmetrical global trade regime that has hollowed out the American industrial base and made us dangerously dependent on foreign powers, friend and foe alike.
Trump’s critics are wrong. These tariffs aren’t a calamity. They’re a much-needed course correction
Reciprocity or Ruin
Let’s begin with the fundamental imbalance: the United States has long maintained one of the lowest average tariff rates among developed countries. Meanwhile, our “allies” in Europe and Asia—who rely on U.S. military protection for security—shield their markets with stubbornly high tariffs on American goods.
Germany taxes U.S. automobiles at four times the rate we impose on theirs. France blocks U.S. agricultural products through protectionist quotas and Byzantine regulations. And South Korea—despite a ‘free trade’ agreement—maintains tariff and non-tariff barriers on U.S. beef, pork, and automotive parts.
These aren’t historical artifacts of little significance. They are systemic disadvantages designed to extract concessions from America while giving little or nothing in return.
Trump’s tariffs expose the lie at the heart of globalist dogma: that trade liberalization is a rising tide that lifts all boats.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
I think that the Trump tariff plan is more than fair and gives incentive for other countries to lower their tariffs through rate bargaining. It looks like the Trump tariffs, other than the 10% base rate is only approximately half of the rate that the corresponding country charges the USA. The democRAT screeching is only theatrics.
Oh yes we did. The offshoring off American production was a domestic strategy of the insider globalist financial world against the American republic.
Why are tariffs good for everyone else but not the U.S.? That’s what no Democrat will answer.
Other countries love tariffs so why is it OK for them to have onerous ones and we can’t? In theory the Left should be supportive as they supposedly love the notions of equity and fairness.
Fixed it for them.
Exactly correct!
Another good article shared. Thank You.
I hope our GOP Congress and their staffers are reading these articles.
And the Senate.
Rand Paul is SUCH a disappointment.
He should stick to medicine like he did to challenge covid lockdowns and mandates.
Oh…wait
Yes, Trump was too kind in not matching their tariffs exactly. As he said, he was being nice by only going to 50%—so it is outrageous that he is receiving such opposition.
HOORAY President Trump!
If tariffs are so bad why do other countries have much higher tariffs on American goods?
Why are they now upset that we are raising our tariffs to HALF theirs? Doesn’t the consumer end up eating all the cost? They are acting as though they don’t believe the US Consumer will just eat all the cost.
Yes, we finally joined the trade war after observing how it has benefited our trading countries.
Elon wants Mars...
Trump Will Finance It.
.
Liberation Day
Love It !
Agreed!
.
I can’t believe
Cambodia has a 98% tariff on US Products!?
rand paul reminds me of another goper, empty suit,
all talk and no walk, trey gowdy.
I think Trey is way worse than Paul, though Ron does seem to have lost the plot lately.
“I agree with you, Senator, tariffs ARE taxes. Now please explain why you are ok with OTHER COUNTRIES taxing us”?
It's like when a road is being built or upgraded.
It sucks while construction is underway, but once the road is finished everyone says
how nice the new road is and they forget about when it was being built.
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