Can Everyone Please Stop Being Stupid About Who Pays Tariffs?

#1

Post by yoble » Wed, Jan 21, 2026, 3:46 PM UTC

Can Everyone Please Stop Being Stupid About Who Pays Tariffs?
benthams.substack.com

Re: Can Everyone Please Stop Being Stupid About Who Pays Tariffs?

#2

Post by jqpabc123 » Wed, Jan 21, 2026, 4:04 PM UTC

Tariffs are a tax on consumers --- i.e. you and me.

Foreign governments don't pay tariffs

Re: Can Everyone Please Stop Being Stupid About Who Pays Tariffs?

#3

Post by akagusu » Wed, Jan 21, 2026, 4:16 PM UTC

jqpabc123 wrote: post #2

Tariffs are a tax on consumers --- i.e. you and me. Foreign governments don't pay tariffs

Now convince Trump's supporters that this is true.

Re: Can Everyone Please Stop Being Stupid About Who Pays Tariffs?

#4

Post by bediger4000 » Wed, Jan 21, 2026, 4:18 PM UTC

jqpabc123 wrote: post #2

Tariffs are a tax on consumers --- i.e. you and me. Foreign governments don't pay tariffs

Right, but a bit vacuous: Trump personally decides what (categories of) goods get tariffs, and which importers and exporters. I personally never want to hear conservatives talk about "distorting the market" or similar topics. Either they were lying about faith in markets pre-Trump, or they're lying about how good a mercantilist system is today. And, no, "we've gotten new data" is not an excuse. Conservatives were standing athwart history and yelling "Stop!" They had these sacred, immutable principles that "new data" did not effect.

Re: Can Everyone Please Stop Being Stupid About Who Pays Tariffs?

#5

Post by jqpabc123 » Wed, Jan 21, 2026, 4:23 PM UTC

akagusu wrote: post #3

jqpabc123 wrote: post #2

Tariffs are a tax on consumers --- i.e. you and me. Foreign governments don't pay tariffs

Now convince Trump's supporters that this is true.

Unfortunately, it's too late. And they obviously like being lied to.

Re: Can Everyone Please Stop Being Stupid About Who Pays Tariffs?

#6

Post by jqpabc123 » Wed, Jan 21, 2026, 6:39 PM UTC

bediger4000 wrote: post #4

jqpabc123 wrote: post #2

Tariffs are a tax on consumers --- i.e. you and me. Foreign governments don't pay tariffs

Right, but a bit vacuous: Trump personally decides what (categories of) goods get tariffs, and which importers and exporters. I personally never want to hear conservatives talk about "distorting the market" or similar topics. Either they were lying about faith in markets pre-Trump, or they're lying about how good a mercantilist system is today. And, no, "we've gotten new data" is not an excuse. Conservatives were sta…

They had these sacred, immutable principles that "new data" did not effect.

Their only immutable principle was lust for control.

Re: Can Everyone Please Stop Being Stupid About Who Pays Tariffs?

#7

Post by tim-tday » Thu, Jan 22, 2026, 3:45 PM UTC

There’s a big disinformation campaign by a charismatic leader.

Even smart people fall for identity based manipulation. And half of everyone is of below average intelligence.

So dumb people + manipulation == lots of people holding obviously false opinions.