Hard to believe the writer of the letter “Liberals using scare tactics on tariffs” (April 18, TribLive) would ask if things could ever get worse under President Trump than President Biden. Well, they already are. Such a question/statement begs elaboration, of which she gives none. Instead she seems to just parrot the disinformation emanating from the Trump cesspool.
Virtually every economist is agreed that the tariffs are bad in both the short and long run. Those who disagree should check out the Smoot- Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, arguably the cause of the Great Depression. Is the letter-writer an economist? I doubt it, or she would present supporting evidence. Is Trump an economist? No — I doubt he could even balance a checkbook.
Under Biden we had inflation, caused partly by Trump’s tax cuts for the rich as well as his incompetent handling of covid. Biden passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which was slowing the rate of inflation increase.
Now, with another Trump term, and more tax breaks for the rich coming, and his outrageous tariffs, buckle up for some real economic hardship for everyone but himself and his rich buddies. What happened to his promise that he would lower grocery prices “on day one”? I guess the same thing as Mexicans paying for the wall that was never built.
Trump has made us the pariah of the world, alienating even our closest allies and friends. I guess “America First” to him means “America Alone.” It won’t work. We are not alone and we must work with other countries. We need each other.
Fred Durig
Delmont