Biden and Trump Are Both Disastrously Wrong About Tariffs
Yes, cheap imports hurt some American companies. But protectionist trade policy harms many more Americans than it helps.
Tariffs
Trump Blames Biden for Never Removing the Tariffs Trump Imposed
And you have to admit, he's got a point.
Trump Advisor Admits Trade War Against China Failed
In an interview, former National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien admitted that "the Chinese didn’t honor" the terms of the deal, years after it was clear.
Trump Said Tariffs Would Reduce the Trade Deficit. Instead, It Grew.
In 2017, the last full year before Trump's tariffs were imposed, America's overall trade deficit was $517 billion. By 2023, it had grown to $785 billion.
A Bonus Reason Roundtable. Live From Boston!
Plus: Who are the editors' favorite vice presidents of all time?
Inflation, the Economy, and Political Ignorance
Public ignorance has a big impact on voter atttudes on a major issue in the 2024 election.
American Manufacturers Need Tax and Regulatory Reform, Not Tariffs
Despite both presidential candidates touting protectionist trade policy, tariffs do little to address the underlying factors that make it difficult for U.S. manufacturers to compete in the global marketplace.
Trump's Proposed Tariffs Would Cost Families $1,700 Annually
"The scale of trade barriers proposed by candidate Trump is unprecedented."
Biden's Tariffs Are a Bad Idea
Bad for consumers, bad for American industry, bad for his administration's own environmental goals, and bad for an increasingly irrational executive branch.
Is Chinese Garlic a Threat to National Security?
Plus, an AI-generated recipe for garlic lovers' shrimp scampi
Marco Rubio Used To Know How Tariffs Work. What Happened?
The economics of tariffs have not changed in the past eight years. Marco Rubio has.
This Tax Week, Remember That the Federal Income Tax Is Relatively New
There are many pervasive myths about the U.S. tax code. Here are a few.
Biden's Call for More Steel Tariffs Is Economically Ineffective Political Pandering
If higher tariffs were the solution to anything, wouldn't there be evidence of that by now?
Trump's and Biden's Terrible Tariffs
Plus: A listener asks if Trump or Biden have done anything to secure the blessings of liberty.
Report: Trump's Proposed Tariff Would Cost Families $1,500 Annually
A 10 percent tariff on all imports would trigger more inflation at the grocery store, particularly for products such as fresh fruit and coffee.
Opposition to U.S. Steel Sale Shows How Similar Biden and Trump Are on Trade
Economic nationalists are claiming the deal endangers "national security" to convince Americans that a good deal for investors, employees, and the U.S. economy will somehow make America less secure. That's nonsense.
The Political Right Has Luxury Beliefs, Too
Support for industrial policy and protectionism are supposed to help the working class. Instead, these ideas elevate the already privileged.
American Steel Production Has Fallen to Pre-Tariff Levels
The debate is over. Trump's steel tariffs failed.
A Rare Win for Sanity in U.S. Tariff Policy
The U.S. International Trade Commission voted unanimously to reject a nakedly protectionist proposal that would have made canned goods more expensive.
Trump's Terrible, Popular Tariffs
Plus: A listener asks if it should become the norm for all news outlets to require journalists to disclose their voting records.
Why Are Pickup Trucks Ridiculously Huge? Blame Government.
Regulations, tariffs, and other government-imposed hurdles reward American car companies for building bigger, more expensive trucks and keep out any potential competitors.
Josh Hawley Thinks the White House Can Force an Aluminum Plant To Stay Open
Should there be any limits to a president's power to centrally plan the economy? Apparently not.
On Economic Issues, the Populist Right and Left Share a Lot of Common Ground
That's bad news for Americans.
Biden Considering Higher Tariffs on E.V.s Imported from China, Raising Prices for Americans
Tariffs of 25 percent introduced under Donald Trump have been allowed to remain in place, and Biden may tack on even more to shield American firms from competition.
New Tariffs on Tin Cans Get Biden Administration Approval
There's no good reason for the government to block Americans' access to cheaper tin cans.
Protectionism Ruined U.S. Steel
Another round of federal intervention to prevent its sale makes no sense.
USDA Announces New Rules That Could Ease Another Baby Formula Shortage
The rules would allow the government to temporarily ease restrictions on WIC formula purchases during a shortage. But those restrictions shouldn't exist in the first place.
How Biden Hobbled His Own Infrastructure Push
At nearly every turn, the infrastructure package opted for policies that limited supplies, hiked prices, added paperwork, and grew government.
American Distillers Brace for Huge E.U. Tariff Hike
More than five years after it began, former President Donald Trump's trade war is still spiraling out of control.
Everglades Restoration Complicated by Florida Agricultural Interests
Tariffs and sugar subsidies have propped up overvalued land needed to fix the environmental damage.
Why Is Halloween Candy So Expensive? Sugar Protectionism.
A new report from the GAO highlights how America's system of sugar subsidies and tariffs costs consumers about $3.5 billion every year.
At California GOP Convention, Donald Trump Promises To 'Liberate' Communist California
With a second term, the former president promised to end California's water shortage, clear homeless encampments, and conduct the biggest deportation operation in American history.
Could Another Baby Formula Shortage Be on the Horizon?
Removing high tariffs from foreign imports of baby formula would ease the supply shock of possible factory closures.
CEO: 'I'm the One Who Paid the Tariffs. China Did Not.'
Deena Ghazarian, CEO of consumer electronic company Austere, says the federal government's tariff exclusion process was "arcane, nontransparent, and highly uncertain."
Politicians Say They Want To Fight Climate Change. So Why Are They Fighting China on Electric Vehicles?
Rather than posing a national security threat, the growth of China's E.V. industry is an opportunity for global innovation.
Season 1, Episode 6 Podcasts
Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Can You Afford Tariffs on Tin Cans?
"There's nobody that says, wait, is this good for America? Is this good for the American consumer?"
Trump's Tariffs Didn't Reduce the Trade Deficit. Why Would They Work Now?
Donald Trump's latest argument for protectionism is undermined by the realities of his own trade policies.
Season 1, Episode 5 Podcasts
Why We Can't Have Nice Things: The 'Chicken Tax' That Makes Pickup Trucks More Expensive
"It's not easy to make one of these rules, but it's a thousand times harder to get rid of one."
Republicans Should Be Pouncing on Biden's Opposition to Free Trade
Instead, Donald Trump is proposing a 10-percent automatic tariff on all imports, a trade policy even worse than Biden's.
Trump Floats Tariff Plan That Will Make Everything More Expensive
The "Tariff Man" promises to strike again.
China's Industrial Policy Is Failing. Will American Politicians Take Notice?
Panic over China's rapid economic growth has fueled all manner of big-government proposals. They're looking even more foolish now.
Eric Boehm: How Protectionist Trade Policies Screw Us All
The host of Why We Can't Have Nice Things explains how indefensible tariffs cause baby formula shortages, screw Hawaii residents, and increase traffic in the Northeast.
Season 1, Episode 2 Free Trade
Why We Can't Have Nice Things: The Ghosts of Protectionism Past
The U.S. tariff code is "quite regressive and somewhat misogynist" because the most powerful lobbyist in Washington is muscle memory.
Season 1, Episode 1 Podcasts
Why We Can't Have Nice Things: The Great Baby Formula Shortage of 2022
A combination of "absurdly high" federal tariffs and excessive FDA regulations created the conditions for a crisis.
The Democratic Governor Who Wants Drug Legalization and Free Markets
"Government in general does a lot of things that aren't necessary," says Jared Polis.
Season 1 Free Trade
Trailer: Why We Can't Have Nice Things Season 1
A six-part podcast series on trade policy launching next week
Industrial Policy Isn't About Creating Jobs
It's a short-sighted approach that distracts us from the more important question.
Biden Administration Considering New Tariffs That Will Hike Prices for Canned Goods
The Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission are considering a petition that would impose tariffs of up to 300 percent on tinplate steel.
