Trump’s Tariff Talk Proves Bad Economics Can Be Good Politics – OpEd
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Former President Donald Trump's trade policies were bad for the economy but good for his political prospects. His anti-trade rhetoric and imposition of tariffs on Chinese imports resulted in higher prices for U.S. consumers and decreased average incomes in both the U.S. and China. However, his trade policies did not protect U.S. manufacturing jobs as promised, and China's retaliatory tariffs decreased agricultural employment in the U.S. Despite the lack of economic benefits, voters in districts with firms targeted for protection by Trump's tariffs were more likely to vote for him and Republicans. The political appeal of Trump's rhetoric can be attributed to voters' difficulty in understanding the effects of economic policies. Without a solid understanding of economics, voters may confuse correlation and causation. Trump's trade policies highlight the disconnect between good politics and good economics.
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