A circular conversation that explains everything.

Tariff Proponent: The U.S. needs tariffs. Free trade has been a disaster for the country, and tariffs will bring America back. Tariffs will protect Americans from unfair foreign competition, creating jobs and boosting wages. The government can use tariffs as a negotiating tool to end the fentanyl epidemic and curb illegal immigration. Tariffs will be good for national security and will help the U.S. in its competition with China. The money raised from tariffs can be used to cut taxes, pay down the national debt, and start a sovereign wealth fund. Maybe we could even replace the income tax entirely with tariffs, which are paid by foreigners, so Americans’ tax burden would shrink enormously. The U.S. used to have really high tariffs, and that was when America was really strong, so we should bring them back and be strong again.

Greg, an average voter: Wow, tariffs sound great!

TP: Yep, and the best part is, the president can do them on his own without having to go through Congress, so we can put them in place and start reaping the benefits basically immediately.

Greg: Awesome, let’s do it!

TP: But we’re going to wait.

Greg: Why?

TP: For one, because the car companies aren’t happy about it.

Greg: Well, we don’t want to hurt the car companies.

TP: We love the car companies. Buy American!

Greg: But what could the car companies be upset about? Tariffs are great!

TP: Well, they have to move parts across borders several times during production, so they’re concerned they’d have to cut jobs and raise prices significantly if tariffs went into place.

Greg: Oh. That would be bad. So what’s the plan to prevent that from happening?

TP: That’s why we’re delaying the tariffs.

Greg: Just that?

TP: Well, no. Other businesses have been concerned as well. And the stock market has been pretty shaky. Businesses have been used to freer trade for many years and need some time to adjust. But we’ll get the tariffs back on track soon!

Greg: That’s a relief. I want to see all that great stuff happen. One of my cousin’s friends died from fentanyl.

TP: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Once we get these tariffs in place, fentanyl will stop coming into the country.

Greg: Isn’t that ultimately more important than the car companies, though? If the tariffs can make the fentanyl go away, that would save thousands of lives. I get that lots of people work for car companies, but even if they get laid off, at least they’re still alive and can find other jobs. Why wait?

TP: That’s just the thing: The tariffs are a negotiating tactic to use for leverage against Canada and Mexico to better control their borders. If the negotiations go well and we get what we want, we don’t have to ever impose the tariffs and the fentanyl and illegal immigration goes away. The president is a master dealmaker; just give him a little time.

Greg: Oh, I get it now. That’s a really great idea.

TP: I know! America first!

Greg: But hold on. If the tariffs never go into effect, how do we get the money to pay for all that other stuff? Like the tax cuts and paying back the debt?

TP: See, that’s why we need the tariffs to be broad and apply to basically all imports. That way, they’ll raise a lot of money.

Greg: And the money comes from foreigners.

TP: That’s right!

Greg: So why would American businesses be concerned about them? They don’t need to worry if foreigners are the ones paying the tax.

TP: They’re not really American businesses. They might be headquartered here, and they might employ Americans, but really they’re globalist companies that don’t have the best interests of Americans in mind.

Greg: Except the car companies?

TP: Of course! Buy American! The car companies are truly American.

Greg: Okay . . . then why again are they concerned with the tariffs?

TP: Transition time, like I said before.

Greg: And how long will that transition be? I’m not an expert on car companies, but I know you can’t build a new factory overnight. How long are the tariffs delayed?

TP: One month.

Greg: That doesn’t seem like enough time.

TP: But think of all the benefits when the tariffs come into effect!

Greg: I am, I am! I want them!

TP: And you’ll get them soon!

Greg: But weren’t you just saying that part of the reason tariffs are great is that the president can do them immediately? Government is usually so slow with everything.

TP: Yes, the president is acting decisively to put American workers first!

Greg: By delaying his own tariffs, which are good for American workers, that he could put in place right now?

TP: Well, the government also needs more time to figure out what the consequences will be and prepare for them. The other countries will be mad when the tariffs happen — they pay our tariffs, remember — so they’ll impose tariffs of their own, which could cause some problems, temporary problems, for Americans.

Greg: Oh no, if other countries pay tariffs when we do them, that must mean —

TP: I know what you’re going to say, but no, we don’t pay the tariffs from the other countries, even though they pay ours. Because remember: They’re a negotiating tool. So we do them really quick and then they go away because the president makes a deal to get rid of them.

Greg: Cool. I don’t want to pay tariffs from other countries. But if that’s true, then why does the government need more time to prepare for them? It’s not going to happen, right?

TP: Well, sometimes it doesn’t quite work out that way in real life. In the past, for example, tariffs from other countries hurt farmers, so the government gave them some money to make up for it. We don’t want our hardworking farmers to suffer!

Greg: Of course not! Farmers are great. Where did the money come from to pay the farmers, though?

TP: See, that’s the beauty of tariffs: They raise money, so the government can help people out.

Greg: But they don’t raise any money if they never happen . . .

TP: And they won’t! We negotiate them away.

Greg: But they’re good . . .

TP: Yes!

Greg: . . .

TP: You seem confused.

Greg: How can the tariffs be good if they happen and good if they don’t happen? How can they do any of the great things you said they do if they never go into effect? How can they harm Americans if other countries pay them? I feel like you’ve been talking in circles.

TP: It’s not your fault. You’ve just been conditioned by the globalist consensus to believe that trade is good and aren’t used to thinking about the greatness of tariffs. You’ll see soon how great they are.

Greg: When?

TP: Next month, probably.

Greg: Probably?

TP: Don’t you trust the president’s plan?

Greg: Less than I used to.