The WSJ and National Review are outraged that Trump worked out a deal with Nvidia and AMD for what is effectively a sales tax on sales to China. 

I don’t remember the media calling what Biden and Obama repeatedly did to the private sector a “private-sector shakedown.” 

The Wall Street Journal’s reporters summoned every ounce of their capacity for professional understatement when they called the Trump administration’s demand to recoup 15 percent of the profits derived from the sale of sophisticated electronics to the Chinese “unusual.”

That’s one way to describe the federal government shaking down private companies for a vig in exchange for unlocking the formerly restricted sale of sensitive components and resources with military applications to a great-power rival. A less charitable observer might call it a racket.

The Obama-Biden administration had slush funds at EPA, Justice, and the CFPB, where they repeatedly shook down private-sector companies and handed out some of the cash to their political supporters.  Trump closed down these extortion accounts down, but Biden started the one at the politicized Justice Department back up.

They shook down auto companies with massive fines if they didn’t comply with unrealistic mileage standards.  Basically, any company that didn’t comply with the net zero initiative was shaken down with massive costs. 

They shook down banks to close out accounts of conservative organizations during Biden’s time in office. 

Obama had “Operation Choke Point” to block legitimate companies from borrowing and depositing at banks.  Trump stopped this egregious violation of rights. 

The fate of Choke Point should serve as a warning that it’s dangerous to allow those in power to flag legal-but-suspect domestic businesses for shaming and commercial ostracism.

Obama sought to destroy for-profit colleges while never holding the not-for-profit and government-run colleges to the same standards. 

On Wednesday, the Obama administration will begin choking off the financial lifeline of for-profit colleges whose graduates can’t find well-paying jobs — and the move is likely to accelerate a wave of shutdowns for an industry taking assaults from all sides.

Obamacare destroyed small and medium-sized health insurance companies who couldn’t afford unlimited risks. 

Obama used the iRS to violate the freedom of association rights of people who wanted smaller government, fewer regulations.  and lower taxes. 

Democrats also support much higher taxes on all corporations. 

So pardon me if I don’t see Trump as a great threat to capitalism for a specific 15% fee on a couple of companies. 

<img 5440390625="" a="" alt="

Image: Gage Skidmore via <a data-cke-saved-href=" by-sa="" captext="<a data-cke-saved-href=" cc="" gage="" gageskidmore="" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode" https:="" p="" photos="" src="https://images.americanthinker.com/imported/2024-03/252527_640.jpeg" www.flickr.com="" width="100%" height="auto">

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.