Dwain Northey (Gen X)

OK, I know I’ve rented about this before, but it seems to be an ongoing saga so we’re gonna talk about it again and how tariffs are supposed to work who gets to impose tariffs and how the current malignant mango moron in the White House is currently using tariffs.

Tariffs are basically taxes on goods that come from other countries. Let’s say a company in China makes TVs and sells them in the United States. If the U.S. government puts a tariff on those TVs, it means the Chinese company has to pay extra money (a tax) when bringing the TVs into the country. This makes the foreign product more expensive. The idea is to encourage people in the U.S. to buy American-made TVs instead because they might be cheaper after the tax is added to the imported ones.

Tariffs are supposed to do two main things:

Protect American businesses and workers from cheaper foreign products. Raise money for the government.

In the U.S., Congress (the House and Senate) has the power to impose tariffs. It’s written in the Constitution. But over the years, Congress has given some of that power to the president, especially in cases where the president claims there’s a national emergency or that another country is being unfair.

Now, enter Donald Trump.

Trump doesn’t use tariffs the way they’re supposed to be used. He slaps them on any country or product he feels like, often without a real plan or clear reason. He says it’s to punish countries like China or Mexico or even allies like Canada and Germany. He claims these countries are “ripping us off,” and he uses tariffs like a hammer to try and make them change how they trade with the U.S.

But here’s the truth: tariffs are not paid by foreign governments. They are paid by the companies that import goods – and those companies are usually American. When a U.S. company pays more for an imported product because of a tariff, they don’t just eat the cost. They raise their prices. So, you, the everyday consumer, end up paying more.

For example, if Trump puts a 25% tariff on steel from China, U.S. companies that buy Chinese steel now have to pay 25% more. If they make cars, appliances, or buildings with that steel, they charge more to cover the extra cost. So cars, appliances, and buildings all get more expensive.

Trump says the tariffs will help American companies by making foreign goods more expensive. But what actually happens is that American businesses that rely on foreign parts or materials suffer. Farmers also get hurt when countries hit back with their own tariffs on American goods. For example, China placed tariffs on American soybeans, hurting U.S. farmers who export crops.

In the end, the American people – regular shoppers, workers, and businesses – are the ones who pay the price.

Tariffs can be a useful tool when used wisely and with a clear plan. But when used recklessly, like Trump does, they cause confusion, hurt the economy, and start trade wars that nobody wins.

So when Trump brags about putting tariffs on everything from electronics to beer, remember: it’s not China or Mexico paying for it. It’s you.