Protectionism and Free Trade

Liberation Day morphed into an Obliteration Day of everyone’s retirement account in a matter of minutes as Trump’s tariffs were announced.

President Trump issued separate presidential proclamations to increase tariffs to 25 percent on all US steel imports and raise tariffs from 10 to 25 percent on all aluminum imports. What are some of the unintended consequences?

Organizations like the European Union and the United Nations are inventions of government elites and are designed to serve the interests of government elites. They centralize political power and do nothing to advance peace or freedom.

President Trump has declared today “Liberation Day,” because many of his tariffs come into force. His team is taking a gamble that either the law of supply and demand does not apply to trade or that the American public will be uncharacteristically fine with higher prices.

President Trump has declared today “Liberation Day,” because many of his tariffs come into force. His team is taking a gamble that either the law of supply and demand does not apply to trade or that the American public will be uncharacteristically fine with higher prices.

Richard Cobden was a British champion of laissez-faire who served in Parliament. While there, he led to successful campaign to repeal the Corn Laws, which led to British free trade.

Bob responds to flawed arguments about trade deficits.

President Andrew Johnson, who is best known for being the first president to be impeached, vetoed protectionist legislation that looked to raise tariffs on imported copper. Congress overrode his veto, but his free-trade message is just as relevant today as it was in 1869.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville recently claimed that Trump‘s tariffs will improve the economy, but only after a period of painful adjustment. “No pain, no gain,” he said. The truth is that the tariffs will inflict pain without any net gains.

For all the political rhetoric about building “affordable housing,” the reality is housing prices will only go up, and tariffs will contribute to the increase.