Trump's trade war a threat to U.S. economic freedom
By Matthew Mitchell and Meg Tuszynski / Tribune News Service
President Trump’s constructive effort to bolster American economic freedom with his tax and regulatory plans is under threat. Not from Democrats, but from the president himself. That’s because the second chapter of his trade war is likely to undermine all of it.
People have more economic freedom when they are allowed to make more of their own economic choices. Government can support these choices by evenhandedly protecting everyone’s right to own and use property. Or, it can limit choice through taxes, regulations, tariffs and manipulation of the money supply.
Reams of research link economic freedom with higher incomes, more investment and faster growth. Trump hopes that by cutting taxes and spending, trimming the regulatory burden and unleashing restrictions on energy production, he can boost growth. Since these measures increase economic freedom, he is probably right.
Unfortunately, thanks to an aggressive new wave of tariffs, which directly limit Americans’ ability to make their own economic choices, these efforts could be in vain.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-trumps-trade-war-a-threat-to-u-s-economic-freedom/
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