Gaze long enough into President Donald Trump’s most controversial policies, and you’ll find a kernel of common sense and, in some cases, a nod to radical leftists.

The administration’s tariffs, for example, are based on the progressive principles of buying local, buying quality and buying less. The Buy American movement has roots in the 1920s labor movement and union protests in the 1970s that called on consumers to Buy Union-Made in America.

However, if Trump’s tariffs truly take effect April 5 and remain in place, these new taxes on consumers will trigger economic and cultural spasms most Americans will find very expensive and distasteful.

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China is the biggest loser, with a total tax of 54% on all products exported to the U.S., which I kind of like. I’ve tried to avoid buying Chinese products for years, especially since the Communist government’s cultural takeover of Tibet, oppression of Uyghurs and crackdown on freedom in Hong Kong.

Since I started writing about business in 2014, I’ve urged Texans to buy local products from local companies, not prison labor products from Amazon or Walmart. When you spend locally, you support entrepreneurs and workers in your community and make it stronger. When you buy Chinese products, you support human rights abuses.

Like any patriot, I favor products made in........

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