Trump and the Tariffs

Well, well, well, that didn't take long.  We are beginning to see some movement on item 6 of my list of signs that Trump's power is waning.  The Supreme Court struck down his unilateral tariffs.  Let's applaud them for that.  

Tariffs were definitely something that was worse than I expected.  I thought of tariffs as something that would damage the economy and thereby undermine Trump's power, but not a serious threat to democracy.  I was wrong.  Tariffs have proven much less damaging to the economy and more damaging to the rule of law than I anticipated.  I had not foreseen how incredibly arbitrary and capricious Trump would be in imposing tariffs as forms of punishment or coercion, or even pique.  And I failed to understand how much he would use them as a means of avoiding Congress's power of the purse strings.

So, good work, Supreme Court, in striking them down.  Trump is now proceeding under other statute, of which there are several, none allowing such complete abandon as Trump has been exercising.  The law he is currently applying limits import taxes to 15%, generally requires them to be broad and across the board, and to expire after 150 days unless extended by Congress.  150 days is about 5 months.  Five months from now will be late July.  The primary elections will be over and the midterms will be only a few months off.  I don't think Congress will extend the tariffs in late July.

Confession:  I haven't read the Supreme Court opinion yet.  Some time when I don't have anything better to do I will have to.