President Trump’s tariffs have put the American economy into a tailspin.

Last week’s stock market crash wiped out trillions of dollars in American wealth, individual retirement accounts, and the value of countless businesses and corporations. The president’s obsession with ending free trade and globalization delivered what economist Paul Krugman characterized as “the biggest trade shock in history.” That shock quickly undermined consumer confidence, propelling the country toward a recession.

The unfolding economic catastrophe offers progressives a chance to recalibrate their failing messaging and show voters how Trump’s inconsistent strongman style has undone decades of progress. His tariff decision only underlines the fact that democratic institutions, the separation of powers and the rule of law have stood in Trump’s way — that is why he opposes them.

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Freed from the constraints that a well-functioning democratic system would have imposed and the accountability it provides, the president

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