According to a popular view on the political left, businessmen want to control the government and our lives in service of their profits. So when a businessman like Donald Trump becomes president, it might seem to confirm their worst fears about “plutocracy.”

But since Trump assumed office, not many CEOs resemble plutocrats. If anything, they’ve been treated as pawns, not kings.

A recent eye-opening Wall Street Journal story tells of a March 11 meeting of CEOs of major corporations, during which news broke that Trump was placing massive new tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. In that closed-door setting, the CEOs are reported to have responded with shock and concern.

The organizer of the meeting polled the attendees: 70 percent were concerned about the economic effect of the tariffs; 80 percent reported “apologizing” to international contacts for Trump policies.

CEOs should know how Trump’s tariffs have wreaked havoc on their businesses.

Retailers such as Walmart, Target and Home Depot have had to negotiate discounts from overseas suppliers or shift production to new countries. Others have had to work overtime to craft contingency plans in the face of uncertainty about supply chains. Others have just absorbed the costs and accepted lower profits. Leaving........

© The Hill