Free Trade

Why Democrats Should Talk About Trump's Tariffs as a 'Threat to the Rule of Law'

Rep. Jimmy Panetta says Democrats have "learned the hard way" that handing over so much tariff authority to the executive branch is a bad idea.

Eric Boehm | 3.27.2026 11:45 AM

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The unpopularity of President Donald Trump's tariff policies will be a problem for Republicans in this year's midterm elections—and a test for Democrats as they pitch voters on what a post-Trump America might look like.

For Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D–Calif.), that means Democrats should talk to voters about tariffs not only as an economic issue but as something that highlights the balance of power in the federal government.

"It starts with the prices," Panetta said Thursday while speaking at an event hosted by the Cato Institute. "However, I do believe it is not only a threat to our economy. This is a threat to the rule........

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