If it is so terrible for the US to imposed tariffs (especially reciprocal tariffs) on imports into our country and it only increases the cost to American consumers, then why does it seem so popular to all the countries who tariff the shit out of our exports to them? Why does it not make American goods unaffordable to their consumers?
Name those countries. You will find your answer. Spoiler alert: they don't exist, or are too small for anyone to care about.
In the 1960s and 70s, most of Latin America pursued Trump's economic policy: high tariffs to promote an economy in which most or all production was done domestically. When Trump tweets out, "American farmers, be ready to sell your goods INSIDE the US" he's channeling Juan Peron of Argentina. This was called "import substitution" policy. At the same time, countries like South Korea and Japan were pursuing a different policy, called export-led growth.
One reason that we have so much confidence about the effects of tariffs was the outcome of that natural experiment. All of Latin America ended up bankrupt (and almost took down storied US banks), whereas South Korea and Japan prospered.
Trump's entire domestic agenda -- socially, economically, and politically -- is mostly a reprise of Peronism, that disastrous ideology that caused Argentina to go from one of the wealthiest countries in the world to one that defaults on its debt every ten years or so. The difference is that Peron was a friend to labor, whereas Trump is an enemy.
I can also explain how tariff levels are set, and why they are the way they are, and why you might think that other countries tariff the shit out of our exports when that's not generally true. But I'm not going to without some indication that you care to learn. If you engage constructively, you can get an answer. Of course, you could also google or ask chatgpt.
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