Two successive presidents have come down firmly on the side of tariffs rather than trade agreements as the preferred mechanism for managing international commerce.
While there are political and security reasons for tariffs, America’s new protectionist stance will raise prices, limit consumer choices and risk our future growth.
Last week, after laying low on this front for most of his term, President Biden announced a raft of new tariffs on selected Chinese imports including electric cars and solar panels as well as steel and aluminum.
While the tariffs cover only $18 billion of imports, they are by design meant to keep Chinese products, like electric vehicles, from entering the U.S. market.
In doing so, he has in large measure aligned his trade policy with that of his predecessor, Donald Trump.
Persons:
Biden, Donald Trump
Locations:
United States, U.S