Despite considerable evidence to the contrary, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik and the tariff gang think the imposition of tariffs on foreign-made medical devices won’t hurt the quality of healthcare here in America.

The argument they’re putting forward, that it’s necessary for American “national security,” relies on a phrase that’s lost a lot of meaning since the end of the Cold War. More often than not, it’s used as a catchall, urging us to overlook a multitude of sins without giving them much thought.

Think about it. Who in the public eye wants to be portrayed as weak on national security? It’s been used to justify everything in the Patriot Act post-9/11, which included more than a few gross violations of basic civil liberties, to the generous and, as it turns out, unnecessary federal subsidies heaped on U.S. microchip manufacturers. It’s a term that, when employed, is supposed to cut off debate, as no loyal, patriotic American could possibly fail to recognize the validity of the argument.

That’s what is happening now. The U.S. Department of Commerce is proposing stricter scrutiny of medical equipment imports, which could lead to a ban under what Washington insiders refer to as Section 232.

On paper, it’s all about........

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