Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 07/17/2025 11:01:01 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
While headlines chase shadows and social media churns with conspiracies about Jeffrey Epstein, something far more serious—yet underreported—is unfolding: America just ran a budget surplus in June.
That’s right — the U.S. government, long buried under record-breaking deficits, posted a $27 billion surplus, the first for that month in eight years. And it wasn’t a fluke. It was driven largely by one policy move: tariffs.
Back in April, critics warned that Donald Trump’s newly announced “Liberation Day” tariffs would tank the economy.
Instead, those tariffs have proven to be a financial engine.
Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to declare a national emergency over the trade deficit, which hit $1.2 trillion in 2024. Beginning April 5, his administration imposed a 10% tariff on all imports, followed by higher, targeted tariffs on 57 nations.
The immediate outcry was deafening.
Opponents forecast inflation, shortages, and recession.
But they were wrong. The data tells the story.
In April alone, tariff collections reached $15.6 billion, nearly double what came in the same month a year prior. Businesses adapted quickly, and retail inventories even rose by 0.3%, suggesting companies were learning to navigate the new trade landscape. Meanwhile, core inflation stayed tame at 2.7%, far below the apocalyptic projections.
In fact, the inflation narrative collapsed entirely. By June, despite customs duties totaling $113.3 billion for the year, inflation remained steady at 2.7%, while tariffed goods like electronics saw only a 12.3% price uptick — well below the inflation many feared. Food prices? Up just 6.2%, and domestic dairy? A modest 2%–3% increase.
Even consumer confidence held strong, supported by real gains for workers. Manufacturing wages climbed 7.8% compared to pre-tariff levels, as domestic production surged. Steel alone added 47,000 jobs since the tariffs took effect.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
|
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
Its a one month “surplus” in a month that always has higher tax revenue because its a month employers and high earners make quarterly tax and estimated tax payments. This topic needs to wait and see how the numbers for July come out.
Epstein needs to be weeded out in due time. Trump has enough on his plate to deal with something that could shut down the entire country over a fake scandal that will be directed at him.
RE: This topic needs to wait and see how the numbers for July come out.
Yep, Don’t count the chickens before they are hatched. Too early to tell. I’d like to see what happens after August 1 ( the deadline given for most other countries and the EU ) to make a deal.
That surplus should all be directed towards paying down the national debt!
Who is forgetting? This DOJ seems to be focused on saving children, both illegal and citizens, from those who are exploiting them. They've had more pedo sting successes than the previous two Democrat presidents, combined. You're simply whining because the highest-profile case continues to stink. That doesn't mean that they've abandoned the field. Stay factual.
Here’s my CAUTIOUS take:
The $27 billion U.S. government surplus in June 2025 is certainly eye-catching—but it’s not a straightforward vindication of Trump’s tariff policies. Let’s unpack the fiscal, economic, and political layers to assess what this surplus actually signals.
- Tariff revenue surge: Customs duties hit $27 billion in June, a 301% increase over June 2024.
- Spending dip: Outlays fell 7% year-over-year, partly due to calendar quirks that pushed some payments into May.
- Receipts up: Overall federal receipts rose 13% from the prior year.
MY SOURCES:
But here’s the catch: Without calendar adjustments, the Treasury would have posted a $70 billion deficit. So the surplus is partly an accounting artifact.
So, Are Tariffs “Working”?
Yes, in terms of revenue generation:
- Tariffs have become the fourth-largest source of federal revenue, behind income and corporate taxes.
- Year-to-date customs duties total $113 billion, up 86% from last year.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent projects $300 billion in tariff revenue by year-end.
But economically, it’s mixed:
- Consumer costs: Yale’s Budget Lab estimates tariffs will cost households $2,400 extra in 2025 due to higher prices.
- So far, - Real GDP growth in 2025 is down by 0.6 percentage points due to tariffs.
- Consumer prices increased by 1.5%, translating to a $2,000 income-equivalent loss per household.
These effects are already being felt in sectors like construction and agriculture, which are contracting, while manufacturing sees modest gains.
In essence, tariffs are a trade-off: fiscal gains at the cost of economic dynamism. They may serve strategic goals—like reshoring supply chains or pressuring trade partners, but their longer term impact cannot be immediately gleaned from one data point in June 2025.
Your refutations, rebuttals and other opinions are welcome.
Consumer costs have been unaffected. You 20 th century throw back globalists are grasping at straws.
Tarriffs are icing on the cake but the cake is still in the oven.
Newt Gingrich and/or Bill Clinton (depending on who you talked to)balanced the budget for four years back in the late 90’s. What most people don’t know is that all they did was restrain spending while a tidal wave of money poured into federal coffers from the booming stock market, driven by the internet revolution.
Same thing is going to happen in the next 5 years. 10 trillion dollars worth of investments is coming into the economy. The stock market is going to explode.
The budget will balance by 2027. But the tarriffs push that date up. They may get help if all the illegals can be kicked off the roles.
How many teachers were arrested last week in your state for pedophilia? Other states? You don’t know and don’t care. But ooooh, Epstein. Phony. Not so real.
And if Epstein was indeed running a honey trap for one or more Deep States, were not going to be arresting those people any time soon, are we...
The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for June 2025 shows that inflation is rising modestly, but remains largely under control relative to recent history.
There are winners a losers in the latest CPI report. So, it’s too soon to tell.
The following have RISING prices: Apparel, Shoes, Household furnishings, Electronics, Motor Vehicles, Coffee and Orange Juice, and Beef. A lot of these are tariff sensitive.
The following have LOWER Prices: Eggs, USED vehicles, Airfares and Hotels.
We are fortunate with egg prices because the Avian Flu has subsided. For Airfare and Hotels, Weak demand keeping service inflation muted.
Of course, Consumer behavior will also affect prices -— Strategic shopping, coupon use, and price tracking are becoming more common.
So, it’s too soon to tell when it comes to Consumer inflation. We don’t know the effect of New 30–50% tariffs on imports from Mexico, Brazil, and the EU have for August ( August 1 is the deadline for a deal with these countries ).
Bears repeating to the free trade whinners here on FR...
“Trump has enough on his plate to deal with something that could shut down the entire country over a fake scandal that will be directed at him.”
No, it is much better, according to some MAGA voters, to burn the entire country down, quickly, as quickly as possible, over Epstein. I mean, cast it on the dust bin of history. It will make them feel so much better and righteous.
The idiots can’t understand that the deep state has handled this problem long ago.
When you meet him he’ll say Epstein was the only perp and you’ll say the conspiracy goes all the way to heaven. So certain are you of what you don’t know.
Twenty Seven Billon Surplus...
And I bet it only Gets
Bigger Better Billions ..
.
Build Back Better was
The “No More Malarkey Tour”
.
Trump’s Got This.
.
was How do you know there were ANY "LITTLE CHILDREN" involved? There's never been proof, nor even talk about "LITTLE CHILDREN", by anyone, except for posters here.
Virginia, who was a procuress of TEEN girls, was 16 and NOT a virgin when she hooked up with Epstein.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.