Economic strategies can have conflicting objectives.
Strategies can have intended and unintended consequences as well as short and long-term ramifications. In our polarized political environment, this presents difficulty for decision-makers because it creates multiple results for every strategy.
In the last 10 years we have become the economic backbone and “bedroom” country for the world. Literally every country relies on our economy for the success of their own. For most, including those perceived as enemies, we are their largest consumer and largest supplier. This magnifies the effect of any economic strategy such as tariffs.
The initial motive for any tariff is to raise the price of imported goods in relationship to those produced domestically. Typically, imported goods are less expensive because of cheaper labor and other dictatorially controlled costs. The tariff…
