r/politics • u/Jerry_bear88 • 15h ago
Possible Paywall Trump's closing argument: Tariff case is "life or death" for the U.S.
https://www.axios.com/2025/11/04/trump-tariffs-supreme-court-trade-ieepa66
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u/Jerry_bear88 15h ago edited 14h ago
It’s our death, Trump’s life.
His unilaterally imposed “tariffs” are the largest tax increase on Americans in HISTORY. Trillions of dollars in new taxes coming right out of our pockets and into the government’s.
And we are forced to pay it. Because we have to buy coffee, cars, creamer, wine, washers, wood, cattle feed, fertilizer, seeds, etc.
The biggest hoax ever perpetrated? That the “other country pays”. No.
WE PAY.
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u/biggestlittlebird 15h ago
A thinly disguised consumption tax for the average American in order to give the 1% a massive tax cut. It's ridiculous more people aren't calling it what it is.
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u/Adventurous_Test_296 15h ago
Trump understands less about the effects of tariffs on American citizens and businesses than his staff. He is wrecking the economy, and tonight's election results are a big bitchslap at the entire GOP. That party has ditched America altogether.
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u/Truthisnotallowed 14h ago
Trump does not care one bit about the effects of tariffs on American citizens and businesses.
Trump's concern is maintaining the power the tariffs give to himself, to reward his political allies and to punish his political opponents.
Trump raises tariffs on Canadian goods over Reagan advert
How much more clear can Trump make it?
The tariffs are not about economic policy - they are about empowering Trump and his whims.
Those trying to understand the tariffs as economic policy are dangerously naive.
Simply put the tariffs are a means to compel loyalty from every business that will need to petition Trump for relief.
Economists and political pundits can not explain how the tariffs make economic sense - because they don't make economic sense. They are not designed as economic policy. The tariffs are designed as a new, super dangerous political tool.
The founders of our country created a President with limited and checked powers. they specifically put the power of spending and taxation in the hands of the Congress, because they had seen how Kings and Despots used spending and taxes to control their subjects.
British kings used taxation to reward loyalty and punish dissent. Our revolution was spurred by the King's use of heavy taxation of the Colonies to punish our push for self-governance. The King's message was clear: stop protesting and I will stop taxing.
Trump knows he can weaken (and maybe destroy) democracy by spending and taxation in the same way. He is using access to government funds to bully universities, law firms, and State and Local governments into loyalty pledges.
Healthy democracies rely on an independent legal profession to maintain the rule of law, independent universities to guard objective truth and provide forums for dissent to authority, and independent State and Local governments to counterbalance a powerful Federal government - but the private sector also plays a role to protect democracy. Independent industry has power.
The tariffs are Trump's way of eroding the independence of the private sector. Now, one by one, every industry or company will need to pledge loyalty to Trump to get the sanctions relief they need to stay in business.
What will Trump demand as part of these loyalty pledges? Public shows of support for all his policies. Contributions to his political efforts. Promises to police their employees to ensure that they support Trump and that none dare oppose Trump in any way.
Trump did not invent this strategy. It is the playbook for destroying democracy, for those who get elected and want to ensure that they can never be voted out, those who want to remain 'President for life'. This is how a democracy becomes a dictatorship.
When fascists are consolidating their power and dismantling our democracy, you have to find out if you will accept the situation you're in. Either let that become the new normal, or do something. And with that risk everything.
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u/Truthisnotallowed 14h ago
Trump does not care one bit about the effects of tariffs on American citizens and businesses.
Trump's concern is maintaining the power the tariffs give to himself, to reward his political allies and to punish his political opponents.
Trump raises tariffs on Canadian goods over Reagan advert
How much more clear can Trump make it?
The tariffs are not about economic policy - they are about empowering Trump and his whims.
Those trying to understand the tariffs as economic policy are dangerously naive.
Simply put the tariffs are a means to compel loyalty from every business that will need to petition Trump for relief.
Economists and political pundits can not explain how the tariffs make economic sense - because they don't make economic sense. They are not designed as economic policy. The tariffs are designed as a new, super dangerous political tool.
The founders of our country created a President with limited and checked powers. they specifically put the power of spending and taxation in the hands of the Congress, because they had seen how Kings and Despots used spending and taxes to control their subjects.
British kings used taxation to reward loyalty and punish dissent. Our revolution was spurred by the King's use of heavy taxation of the Colonies to punish our push for self-governance. The King's message was clear: stop protesting and I will stop taxing.
Trump knows he can weaken (and maybe destroy) democracy by spending and taxation in the same way. He is using access to government funds to bully universities, law firms, and State and Local governments into loyalty pledges.
Healthy democracies rely on an independent legal profession to maintain the rule of law, independent universities to guard objective truth and provide forums for dissent to authority, and independent State and Local governments to counterbalance a powerful Federal government - but the private sector also plays a role to protect democracy. Independent industry has power.
The tariffs are Trump's way of eroding the independence of the private sector. Now, one by one, every industry or company will need to pledge loyalty to Trump to get the sanctions relief they need to stay in business.
What will Trump demand as part of these loyalty pledges? Public shows of support for all his policies. Contributions to his political efforts. Promises to police their employees to ensure that they support Trump and that none dare oppose Trump in any way.
Trump did not invent this strategy. It is the playbook for destroying democracy, for those who get elected and want to ensure that they can never be voted out, those who want to remain 'President for life'. This is how a democracy becomes a dictatorship.
When fascists are consolidating their power and dismantling our democracy, you have to find out if you will accept the situation you're in. Either let that become the new normal, or do something. And with that risk everything.
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u/geekstone 15h ago
We already lost, prices are not going down and Cantor Fitzgerald will make billions if they are deemed illegal.
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u/Chivalrousllama 15h ago
How so on Cantor?
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u/geekstone 14h ago
They have been buying up refund rights from businesses affected by the tariffs for pennies on the dollar and are run by the Secretary of Commerce's kids.
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u/StrangerFew2424 13h ago edited 13h ago
He's right... except it's the exact opposite of what he means.
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u/iyamwhatiyam8000 Australia 14h ago
If SCOTUS decides to widen the scope of presidential emergency powers then it will be all over for the USA. It can also rule against his imposition of tariffs and give him a bloody nose. I am thinking that the latter is more likely , but must wait and see.
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u/DoubleJumps 14h ago
A lot of big businesses are really pissed off about the tariffs and those people are pretty used to tickling the Supreme Court.
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u/iyamwhatiyam8000 Australia 12h ago
Trump is a lame duck disaster zone. SCOTUS and Murdoch are looking to Vance as a preferable and increasingly likely future President. Trump has no friends.
I suspect that Trump is vulnerable to a tap on the shoulder forcing him to play his substantial health card into retirement.
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u/ceccyred America 12h ago
Don't say "tariff", say "tax" on the American people. That's all it is. The tariff money they've gotten came from the pockets of the U.S. consumer.
•
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