Rand Paul today on blocking Trump's tariffs on imports from Canada: "Despite arguments to the contrary, Americans know tariffs are a tax they are going to have to pay." The Founding Fathers “so feared the power of taxation that they gave it only to Congress.” "I stand to speak... against the tariffs. I stand to speak against the idea of skipping democracy, of skipping the constitutional republic, of rejecting our founding principles." "Not because I have any animus towards the president. I do this because I love my country..." "We should vote. This is a tax, plain and simple." "Taxes should not be enacted by one person."show more

Hey Rand, I get that you’re against tariffs, but saying they go against the Founding Fathers’ principles just doesn’t hold up. Tariffs were actually one of the first things the Founders put in place. The Tariff Act of 1789 was passed by Congress and signed by George Washington himself. Alexander Hamilton pushed for tariffs in his Report on Manufactures to help American industries grow. Even Jefferson, who wasn’t exactly a big-government guy, relied on tariffs to fund the government instead of taxing citizens directly. And about “skipping democracy”—the Constitution explicitly gives Congress the power to impose tariffs (Article I, Section 8). This isn’t some modern government overreach; it’s exactly how the Founders designed it. Look, I get the argument that tariffs can be a tax on consumers, but let’s not pretend they’re some unconstitutional betrayal of America’s founding. If anything, they were a key part of it.

Here’s what could get more expensive with Trump’s new tariffs.

@SenRandPaul We disagree with you on this one Rand.

@SenRandPaul Reposting your own post. We are so disgusted with you right now. Did you read the comments in your first post? Did you read the comments from your constituents? Begging you not to do this. You don't care you don't care about us at all.

@SenRandPaul Rand Paul is too shortsighted to understand what’s actually going on here

@SenRandPaul Yeah your an idiot

Paul Rand is a useless idealist and achieved nothing for Americans.

@SenRandPaul WTF Rand… that is complete garbage you are standing on. Grandstand on another issue. We all know what a Tariff is and this Country has been getting screwed.

Gosh, this is almost as annoying as listening to Cory Booker

Congress has perpetually fucked our economy and culture . Go fuck yourself and your libertarian grandstanding

@SenRandPaul The founders used tarrifs to fund this country u idiot.