President-elect Donald Trump will soon return to the White House, and it can’t come quickly enough. I voted for Donald Trump for a return to normalcy, and I believe he can get the economy back on track, but I’m worried his proposed tariffs might do more harm than good for Americans. By reconsidering his tariff policy, President-elect Trump can fulfill his promise to lower costs for folks all over the country.
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The last four years were incredibly difficult for ordinary Americans. After Joe Biden’s misguided policies and the resulting inflation, it was no surprise that President-elect Trump swept all the battleground states with his promises to bring prices down. While I fully believe those promises, I’m unsure if higher tariffs on three of our biggest trading partners – China, Canada, and Mexico – is the best approach for lowering costs and creating an economic boom.
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While I fully support the president’s fight to secure better trade deals to prevent us from being ripped off, I think a more nuanced approach is warranted if we want to avoid the unintended consequences of Americans shouldering the burden of tariffs.
The sheer amount the U.S. imports from China, Mexico, and Canada can’t be understated; just last year, they accounted for more than 40% of the total value of all goods shipped into the U.S. Entering into a trade war with all three countries simultaneously will mean higher prices on everything whether it’s food, clothes, furniture, gas, or even something many of us are thinking about as the holidays approach – toys.
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It would be more of the same for families who have struggled to make ends meet during the Biden years, and it would also be a massive blow to the small businesses seeking out the American dream that would have to raise their prices on those same struggling families or close their doors.
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Tariffs could also create a market for knockoff and counterfeit goods that, while cheaper, could be potentially dangerous for American buyers. While many imported products are manufactured in other countries, they come from established, high-quality brands and undergo the proper safety testing.
Tariffs motivate consumers to shop from any online platform selling knockoff items without vetting their products. Imagine a furniture item, toy, or child’s car seat or crib finding its way into a home, breaking, and causing a serious injury. That’s an unnecessary risk we don’t need, mainly when it concerns our children.
President-elect Trump secured a crushing victory and received a mandate from American voters. I fully believe he will deliver on his promises when sworn into office this January and help bring our country back to a time of prosperity. An easy way for him to do that is by taking a measured approach. If he does decide to proceed with tariffs, President Trump would be wise to take a case-by-case approach and exclude items that will impact working families so they don’t have to continue worrying about high prices. President Trump’s record of keeping promises speaks for itself, and I look forward to seeing what the next four years will bring under his firm leadership.
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