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Letter: Tariffs are an added tax on all Americans

(Maggie Shannon | The New York Times) A container ship at the Port of Los Angeles, in San Pedro, Calif. on Monday, April 7, 2025. China responded to President Trump's tariffs on Friday, raising its own tariffs on American goods to 125%, as the world's two biggest economies extended a fast-moving tit-for-tat that has seen the cost of trade soar and fueled concerns over a global recession.

(Maggie Shannon | The New York Times) A container ship at the Port of Los Angeles, in San Pedro, Calif. on Monday, April 7, 2025. China responded to President Trump's tariffs on Friday, raising its own tariffs on American goods to 125%, as the world's two biggest economies extended a fast-moving tit-for-tat that has seen the cost of trade soar and fueled concerns over a global recession.

Tariffs are a “regressive” tax because everyone pays the same amount of tax, both the wealthy and the average American. Conservatives have long wanted a flat tax on all goods, and, at the same, time lower income tax rates for the wealthy. Income tax is considered a “progressive tax” because its rates increase at higher incomes. Now President Trump is doing the same thing by having tariffs (in which everyone pays the same amount) and using the money that it produces to give a tax break to the wealthy!

It is important to ask who the tariffs help the most! Big corporations will adjust to maintain their profits while the average American will pay more for goods regardless of whether they are made in the U.S. or not.

It is time to wake up and realize that President Trump does not care about the average American!

David Hart, Torrey

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