OPINION:
I’m very concerned about the new tariffs President Trump has been announcing. They will hurt many American workers and businesses, as
well as other honest, hard-working workers and businesses in Canada and other partner countries.
The proposed tariffs are punishing our long-time allies and fellow democracies at a time when we need to stand together against Russia’s
Putin and other dictators and warmongers. The rationale given for the tariffs also keep changing, and it is often confusing, vague and/or
even troubling. ’Be our 51st state, or we’ll crush your economy’ sounds to me a lot like ’Marry me or I’ll kill you,’ a philosophy for a villain in a melodrama, not a republic founded on ideals of liberty and justice.
Admittedly, a lot of work is needed to repair American industrial infrastructure, and President Trump is right that some tariffs might be useful in reaching that goal. But sudden large tariffs announced overnight will make it impossible for businesses to plan. Whatever their goal, tariffs are ultimately taxes that will largely be paid by Americans in the form of increased inflation and a likely recession.
In addition, it’s neither conservative nor respectful to the Constitution for a unilateral declaration by one person — even the U.S. president, whether Republican or Democrat — to be able to apply arbitrary punitive taxes overnight.
I hope Republican leaders who care about small businesses will ask President Trump to change his mind.
JOHN DZIAK
Old Forge, Pennsylvania
Please read our comment policy before commenting.