"President-elect Donald Trump on Monday promised massive hikes in tariffs on goods coming from Mexico, Canada and China starting on the first day of his administration, a policy that could sharply increase costs for American businesses and consumers.The move, Trump said, will be in retaliation for illegal immigration and “crime and drugs” coming across the border.".
Trump ups the ante on tariffs, vowing massive taxes on goods from Mexico, Canada and China on Day 1
While this may be yet more evidence that the Republican Party has rejected Free Trade, or Free Market Capitalism in favour of 'Government Everywhere', it seems to me there is a massive question that is not being asked, though I don't know how this debate actually takes place in the US:
How is the Federal Govt, or any State Govt in the US campaigning to end addiction to Fentanyl?
If so many Americans are dying from Fentanyl, and criminal gangs making millions of dollars from the trade, why not attack the fundamental problem: the use of the drug, instead of (or in addition to) the suppliers?
There is a trade in Marijuana because millions of Americans like it, and use it. The same is true of tobacco, alcohol and donuts. All can have negative long term side effects, from Diabetes to Addiction to Death.
Taxes on imports seems to me an instrument that may be more about global trade than drugs, and Trump wants to re-structure global trade so that the US wins every time -even though the US is dependent on imports for so much of its industrial output.
So not an advance anywhere, just the next US Govt going round in circles, while people's lives suffer and end. Level of policy innovation: none at all.
