Summary
Donald Trump is poised to impose massive import tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China, effectively raising taxes on U.S. households by an estimated $3,000 annually.
Unlike past tax increases that targeted the wealthy, these tariffs disproportionately impact low- and middle-income workers.
While Trump claims the measures address immigration and fentanyl concerns, experts argue they serve as a revenue source to offset tax cuts for the rich.
Critics contend that Trump’s tariffs lack a clear industrial strategy and primarily burden American consumers.
A tariff is a sales tax, pure and simple. Sales taxes hit lower income people harder than the rich because they have to put a higher percentage of their income into it.
No average person says “my taxes went up $3000 this year!” referring to anything other than their income tax.
This is the exact water muddying I mentioned. Call things what they are and explain what they mean.
There is zero downside to explaining it correctly:
“Trump’s newest round of tariffs are projected to cost the average citizen $3000 per year”
Same power without the bullshitting. And you don’t have someone looking at their paycheck wondering if it’s taken effect yet.
Nobody is saying that tariffs are income taxes, but I pay a bunch of taxes each year that are not income taxes. I have sales taxes at stores, property taxes a couple times a year, and hidden ones like gas taxes. Now we are going to pay more import taxes so that the ultra rich don’t have to pay as much capital gains. To call them anything else is lying to yourself.
Tell me how telling people their taxes are going to go up $3000 is better than explaining that the tariffs will cause their yearly goods expenses to go up by the same.
This article is for the layman, not someone who understands tariffs. And instead of explaining that, it says “it’s basically the same thing as your taxes going up!”