Resistances are built on hope
We need every Democrat who appears on TV both national and local to keep pushing the idea that Trump and his minions want to install the Import Tariff (even though they’re now just beginning to walk it back). Why do we need to do this?
1. To pound home the message that Trump and the Republicans want to tax the American people. Which is what the tariff will end up being. When you put a import tax / tariff on any good, it’s the not the country who gets taxed who ends up paying it. It’s the people who buy the goods. The Democrats need to keep pushing the narrative that the Republicans are trying to raise taxes (call it the Trump tax) and costs on the American people on a wall that will have very little effect on immigration.
2. The import tax/tariff will lead to another recession. The economy has been growing for most of Obama’s 8 years. The chances of another recession happening in the next 4 is pretty big. Let’s make Trump and the Republicans own this recession as being unnecessary (and not some cyclical event). Make sure the American people know that this could have been avoided under better (i.e. Democratic) leadership.
3. The third reason to do this? For snits and giggles. According to leaks, Trump hasn’t been thrilled with Sean Spicer. So if we make the Trump team own this message and they have to walk it back (as they’re are beginning to do) it’ll create even more strained relationships in the Trump White House. Soon Trump will treat Spicer the way Nixon treated Ziegler, if he hasn’t already. And since Spicer is Priebus’s boy, I’m sure that’ll create even more fun and hilarity.
4. To follow up on point 3 — another narrative will then form when they walk back the idea. That this is amateur hour and that these guys do not know what they are doing. Once the narrative of ‘incompetence’ sets in the American public mind, it’s hard to erase. Look at Bush and Katrina. It took the American people until 2005 to finally realize Bush was in over his head and they couldn’t wait to be rid of him. Let’s start early with the Trump guys.
