Carbon Tariffs: A Continuation of President Trump’s China Policy
CommentaryImagine this: an America First proposal that brings manufacturing jobs back to the United States, delivers a haymaker to China’s economy, and in the process, restores a sliver of our own integrity in Joe Biden’s America. Sounds like Donald Trump’s vision, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, not all of the traditional GOP establishment is rowing in the same direction. To wit, Wall Street has been pursuing a globalization fetish for decades—uprooting generations of middle-American livelihoods to strengthen its own bottom line. Entire communities who always did things the right way collapsed, and cheap goods made from Chinese slave labor emerged from the rubble. Trump tried to warn us: This trend hasn’t just marginalized the United States; it’s also made us vulnerable. When other countries control our supply chains, they control us. Remember how hard it was to buy toilet paper at the start of the pandemic? Or for hospitals to buy essential equipment? Or how much of a struggle it remains to scan empty store shelves, only to find what you need at twice the cost it was two years ago? Secure supply chains are more than a matter of dignity. Abandoning American manufacturing has made things more expensive because we’re ultimately letting our rivals control the levers of supply and demand. America’s adversaries certainly understand what they’re doing and how they can use this strategy to our detriment. After all, just look at how well the Saudis and Russians have exploited our reliance on their energy. From the factory to the refineries, we need America First trade policies that unshackle those trying to make things here. We’re simply better at it, and our economy will be better off for it, too. Enter carbon tariffs—the trade tool preferred by Trump trade adviser Robert Lighthizer and America First Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Notwithstanding all the leftist hand-wringing about the climate agenda they haven’t been able to advance during this Congress, their clamoring has ironically highlighted one actionable opportunity: our cleaner manufacturing. Nearly every manufactured good one could imagine is made with less pollution here than in most of the world. Energy, steel, medicine, electronics, you name it. In a moment when Washington is so focused on reducing carbon footprints, shouldn’t it be just as motivated to find ways to reward cleaner American manufacturing and punish those who pollute for free and steal our jobs? Carbon tariffs are a way to have our cake and eat it, too—a trade policy to restore American manufacturing while penalizing China for its pollution. Leaving this valuable tool on the table would only further serve to subsidize our competitors and forfeit the opportunity to revitalize our industrial base. Carbon tariffs are as simple as they sound: charge imports a fee for their pollution when they cross our border. Suddenly, Americans who have been making the same products cleaner for years will now have the most competitive goods in the market and will be positioned for substantial growth to meet skyrocketing demand. Jobs, jobs, and more jobs. Plus, this realignment of supply chains will allow America to be more self-sufficient. No longer will China be able to price gouge our struggling families—we could instead buy what we need from businesses just down the road. To capture it all in a phrase: A reliable supply of American-made goods for less money in the long haul. Attacks against this America First approach come straight out of the establishment playbook. Opponents complain that their Chinese-made goods would become more expensive. Some argue that it won’t solve global warming enough. Technocrats especially decry that it would disrupt globalist trade norms. These feeble excuses should be expected from liberals, but from those who claim to want to “Make America Great Again?” Disingenuous, to put it kindly. Why were Trump’s tariffs good before, but bad today? Let’s call a spade a spade: You’re either for the America First vision or against it. You’d rather restore American production or continue outsourcing it to places like China. You’re either America First or America Last. Which side would you rather be on? Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Follow
Udumbara
Commentary
Imagine this: an America First proposal that brings manufacturing jobs back to the United States, delivers a haymaker to China’s economy, and in the process, restores a sliver of our own integrity in Joe Biden’s America.
Sounds like Donald Trump’s vision, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, not all of the traditional GOP establishment is rowing in the same direction.
To wit, Wall Street has been pursuing a globalization fetish for decades—uprooting generations of middle-American livelihoods to strengthen its own bottom line. Entire communities who always did things the right way collapsed, and cheap goods made from Chinese slave labor emerged from the rubble.
Trump tried to warn us: This trend hasn’t just marginalized the United States; it’s also made us vulnerable. When other countries control our supply chains, they control us. Remember how hard it was to buy toilet paper at the start of the pandemic? Or for hospitals to buy essential equipment? Or how much of a struggle it remains to scan empty store shelves, only to find what you need at twice the cost it was two years ago?
Secure supply chains are more than a matter of dignity. Abandoning American manufacturing has made things more expensive because we’re ultimately letting our rivals control the levers of supply and demand. America’s adversaries certainly understand what they’re doing and how they can use this strategy to our detriment. After all, just look at how well the Saudis and Russians have exploited our reliance on their energy.
From the factory to the refineries, we need America First trade policies that unshackle those trying to make things here. We’re simply better at it, and our economy will be better off for it, too.
Enter carbon tariffs—the trade tool preferred by Trump trade adviser Robert Lighthizer and America First Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
Notwithstanding all the leftist hand-wringing about the climate agenda they haven’t been able to advance during this Congress, their clamoring has ironically highlighted one actionable opportunity: our cleaner manufacturing. Nearly every manufactured good one could imagine is made with less pollution here than in most of the world. Energy, steel, medicine, electronics, you name it.
In a moment when Washington is so focused on reducing carbon footprints, shouldn’t it be just as motivated to find ways to reward cleaner American manufacturing and punish those who pollute for free and steal our jobs? Carbon tariffs are a way to have our cake and eat it, too—a trade policy to restore American manufacturing while penalizing China for its pollution. Leaving this valuable tool on the table would only further serve to subsidize our competitors and forfeit the opportunity to revitalize our industrial base.
Carbon tariffs are as simple as they sound: charge imports a fee for their pollution when they cross our border. Suddenly, Americans who have been making the same products cleaner for years will now have the most competitive goods in the market and will be positioned for substantial growth to meet skyrocketing demand.
Jobs, jobs, and more jobs.
Plus, this realignment of supply chains will allow America to be more self-sufficient. No longer will China be able to price gouge our struggling families—we could instead buy what we need from businesses just down the road.
To capture it all in a phrase: A reliable supply of American-made goods for less money in the long haul.
Attacks against this America First approach come straight out of the establishment playbook. Opponents complain that their Chinese-made goods would become more expensive. Some argue that it won’t solve global warming enough. Technocrats especially decry that it would disrupt globalist trade norms.
These feeble excuses should be expected from liberals, but from those who claim to want to “Make America Great Again?” Disingenuous, to put it kindly. Why were Trump’s tariffs good before, but bad today?
Let’s call a spade a spade: You’re either for the America First vision or against it.
You’d rather restore American production or continue outsourcing it to places like China.
You’re either America First or America Last.
Which side would you rather be on?
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
