The AP article in the Nov. 11 paper, “Trump has lots of plans for Day 1 …” was interesting.
But by omission, it perpetuated a major wrong assumption that Donald Trump keeps claiming. In the article’s continuation on page 15, Trump’s priorities included “Impose tariffs on imported goods.” He said this will “keep … jobs in the United States, shrink the federal deficit, and help lower food prices.” Trump thinks that tariffs are paid by the importing countries, which would result in those benefits.
That is wrong. It is the U.S. importers who have to pay the tariffs, not the foreigners. That will raise the U.S. importers’ cost of doing business. And those companies would pass their increased costs on to you and me, the consumers. Food prices would go up; inflation would probably rise; and layoffs could be necessary, not an increase in jobs.
The news media should explain the facts behind major misconceptions, not perpetuate them.
— Vivian Mendenhall
Anchorage
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