On April 2, Liberation Day, President Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs across the board. The President noted that they were “kind” tariffs, since they were only half the rate that American producers are charged. For now, at least.

Critics have lamented that tariffs will raise the cost of goods, as if the Constitution codified the right to buy “cheap” Chinese goods.

While there will be an adjustment period -- as with any major policy shift -- tariffs will not cause inflation in the long term. In fact, they will likely lower the cost of goods over time.

Asleep at the Wheel

Over the last fifty years, the American people have been subjected to an experiment with economic globalism. This has hollowed out American industries, destroyed millions of jobs, and endangered America’s national security. The one benefit that the public as promised was that goods would be cheap -- that the cost of living would go down.

This was a false promise. Compare recent history: President Trump’s tariffs did not raise the cost of goods during his first term. Meanwhile, inflation was rampant during President Biden’s term, despite his walking back most of President Trump’s trade agenda. Further, America had the highest average tariff rates in the world during the nineteenth century, during which time America’s industry flourished and the cost of living decreased year after year.

In addition to the evidence, economic logic reaches the same conclusion.........

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