Staff Reports
Liberals might try to sell their opposition to President Trump’s tariffs and trade policies as a noble stand against rising prices and threats to a post-war economic utopia, but the truth is far more revealing. Their frantic efforts to halt Trump’s trade agenda stem from a simple truth: it poses a direct threat to the bloated government they’ve spent decades nurturing.
The United States has been balancing chronic trade deficits for nearly half a century, racking up an astonishing cumulative deficit of over $20 trillion from 1974 through 2024. This relentless deficit is not just an economic statistic; it has created an environment of dependency on government intervention that grows like a weed in an abandoned garden. As money flows out faster than it comes in, the nation faces inevitable shortfalls in income, and such gaps must be filled—enter the government, stage left.
When staring a persistent trade deficit in the eye, there are only three potential remedies. The first is to take a passive approach, letting the deficit suppress both income and employment. This route leads to disaster—a weak economy and public outcry. The second is to let the government step in, running ever larger deficits to fill the economic black hole. This option only fuels an expansion of government reliance and skyrockets national debt. The third—and truly the only viable path—is to adopt America-first trade policies that shrink the deficit, revive industrial capacity, and pave the way for private sector growth.
For too long, both political parties leaned toward the second option, allowing trade deficits to widen and government’s role to swell. This has birthed a scenario where productivity and wages stagnate while government dependency reaches new heights. The hollowing out of America’s industrial base laid the groundwork for a welfare state that flourishes at taxpayer expense. Enter Trump, who stepped onto the political stage and shouted a resounding “No more!” to this destructive cycle.
Unlike previous administrations, Trump’s approach—championed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent—is about “reprivatizing” the American economy. The idea is simple: shrink the trade deficit to strengthen the domestic economy, keep dollars circulating among American businesses, and ultimately lift wages without an ever-growing government handout to prop things up. Less dependence on foreign capital means not only a boost in economic independence but also less government borrowing and a path to a leaner national debt.
Tragically, the Left has other plans, seeking to fortify government control through a consistent economic model that justifies their expansion. The unfortunate cycle continues in education with the embrace of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. These mandates replace merit with quotas and undermine business efficiency, leading to rising costs and productivity hits. Instead of allowing companies to adjust, the government swoops in claiming to fix the problem with subsidies that further entrench dependence.
Then there are the climate regulations, where liberal policies deliberately choke domestic energy production, resulting in inflated energy costs and an increasing reliance on foreign sources. Again, rather than ease the burdens they’ve imposed, the Left argues that more government intervention is necessary to remedy the problems their policies have created.
And let’s not forget the financial sector. With regulation focusing primarily on ideology rather than sound economic health, it becomes increasingly cumbersome for banks to finance small businesses. Once again, the government leaps in to fill the void with public lending and stimulus, further entrenching their control over the economy.
Each of these scenarios follows the same script: cripple private-sector growth, watch the economy stall, and plead for an expanded governmental role. Trump’s administration represents a revolutionary departure from this damaging blueprint, aiming instead to dismantle the cycle of dependency that has held America back. If his trade policies succeed, it will do more than reshuffle the economic deck; it will challenge the very foundation of an expansionist government.
In the end, the war against Trump’s tariffs isn’t a battle over free trade. It is a rich power struggle where a shrinking trade deficit means a shrinking government. Liberal elites know that a robust America fosters independence, lessening the grip of government intervention. And that’s precisely why they despise every effort Trump makes to reshape the trade landscape.
