Freed of regulatory deadweight, Americans will be in a much better position to compete with the world.
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PresidentDonaldTrump’sjustificationsfortariffskeepshifting—onemomentthey’retocuttheflowofillegaldrugsandimmigrants,thenext,they’retobolsterAmericanbusinessesandjobs.ButtheargumentthatseemstoresonatemostwiththepublicisthattheywillresultinastrongerandmorecompetitiveU.S.economy.Economistsaren’tconvinced,toputitmildly.ThefactisthatAmericangovernmentisoftenthebiggestimpedimenttotheworkersandemployersthatpoliticiansclaimtobehelping.
“LargeandpersistentannualU.S.goodstradedeficitshaveledtothehollowingoutofourmanufacturingbase[and]resultedinalackofincentivetoincreaseadvanceddomesticmanufacturingcapacity,”TrumparguedinanApril2executiveorderimposingstifftariffsonmostoftheplanet.“PresidentTrumpisworkingtoleveltheplayingfieldforAmericanbusinessesandworkersbyconfrontingtheunfairtariffdisparitiesandnon-tariffbarriersimposedbyothercountries.”
BarriersToTradeCo
