Rand Paul Trying to Rally GOP Opposition to Trump’s Tariffs

SenateRepublicanshadgatheredforoneoftheirregularprivateluncheslastWednesdaywhenRandPaulcommandedtheirattention.AsSenatorssippeddietsodasandgrazedonsandwiches,theKentuckylawmakerwentthroughaslidedeckwithchartsandstatisticsinserviceofaboldproposal:comeoutagainstPresidentTrump’stariffs. TheargumentsinPaul’spresentation,whichhasnotbeenpreviouslyreported,werenotasurprisetohisaudience.OneofthemostprominentlibertariansonCapitolHill,he’safierceproponentoffreetrade.ButhisattempttocorralcolleaguesagainsttheTrumptradeagendawasseenasaprovocationtothePresident’scloseallies.“Thepublicfeelslikefreetradehassoldusout,”Paulsaid,accordingtotwoSenatorswhowerepresent,“butAmericansarericherbecauseofit.”Claimingthatfreetradeagreementshavespurredupwardsocialmobility,oneofhisslidesassertedthatthemiddleclasshasshrunkinrecentyearsonlybecausemorepeoplehadmovedintotheupperclass. “Basically,hewassayingthateveryonewasgettingricherduring