Many people don’t seem to understand tariffs, so here’s a good explainer from The Wall Street Journal. Basically, tariffs have guaranteed downsides (increased costs and unemployment) and uncertain upsides (if any).

@WSJ What’s the theory behind what his long game strategy is then? Because I’m still unsure how this is going to help anyone besides the adversaries of the US.

@WSJ He wants to increase opportunities for homegrown businesses, no matter the cost. America First, even if it hurts actual Americans.

@WSJ Tariffs are particularly bad if you also intend to deport millions of the workers who will be needed to replace imports.

As Thomas Sowell says "there are no solutions only compromises." Like Sowell, I'm generally opposed to tariffs. On the other hand, the world has arrived at a critical juncture, especially in international relations, a.k.a. sabre rattling. I'm not sure what's up, and I don't pretend to know how it will shake out, but I do know Trump is not afraid to push for a deal he thinks best. Will he be proven right? I've no idea. But I know he's pushing for compromise from every player in the game. And I'll support that. I often change my mind when facts change. Trump is striking a new operational paradigm and it's already light years better than what we had for the past four years. Yes, I'll go with it. Not blindly, but I'll give it a chance.

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@WSJ Tariffs is like printing money near full employment. You get a very short dopamine burst, and everything after that it is all downhill.

@WSJ Is this an over simplification?

@WSJ The definition of idiocy is to try the same thing again and expect a different outcome. 😎

@WSJ Now do income tax.

@WSJ Ok but hear me out, shrink government, remove income tax, and increase tarrifs. If the typical American family can save $15K a year in income tax they will happily pay more than $1.7K in annual goods increases.

@WSJ value trade-offs, brother - your characterization presents economy as a static and unchanging quantity wen it is rather a quality of human behavior and inherently not as overly-deterministic as you present.