People seem really set on the idea that these tariffs will, "stick it to Chinese manufacturing!" Its the emotional payoff, right? We're getting back at China for filling our big box stores with their "junk" products. "Oh boy! BRING ON ALL THE TARIFFS! The more the better!"
And maybe, there'll be some positive improvements...an increase in sales of existing American made goods. Maybe some expanded domestic production at existing companies. Better yet, new American companies building new factories to make products we haven't seen made here in decades. No doubt, that would be very cool.
But the narrative that "China's gonna lose" doesn't own up to the reality that, with VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS, its American companies that are filling the stores with China made goods, that American families are freely buying those China made goods either intentionally or out of ignorance of their COO, and that in many cases the final buying decision is constrained by the consumer's budget. The pain of these tariffs, especially as the number of affected products grow, will eventually result in job losses at the affected American companies, an increase in small business failures, hardships on American families with ever shrinking budgets, and a net increase in inflation that will hurt the entire American economy. Ugly painful stuff.
Put another way. If we assume the administration is right, and taraffs are the necessary mechanism to really "MAGA," I think we need to rightly acknowledge that our fellow Americans are going to be on the front lines of this tariff battle with China made goods. Maybe it'll work out for the better, or maybe it won't.
However, I think this "cheering" for tariffs like it's some Cowboys vs Eagles game is, frankly, stupid and thoughtless given the negative impact it's gonna have on hardworking but low income Americans. Maybe a little extra sober thought and prayer (if that's your thing) might be more appropriate.
