The Supreme Court tariff ruling has created the need for U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to modify the baseline tariff approach with the approvals of President Trump.
The baseline tariffs are being reset to 10% with upward adjustment to 15% as planned. The reciprocal tariffs will not require any substantive modifications as most of the Free Trade Agreements have been cemented with reciprocity tariffs as part of the negotiated deals.
USTR Greer appears on Bloomberg to clarify the current situation and provide some information as to the transitional baseline tariffs as now modified. Additionally, and importantly, Greer begins discussing the USMCA review and his acceptance that President Trump is openly questioning the value for us. Greer notes Mexico and Canada being used as import hubs to avoid tariffs is a big issue. WATCH:
Section 232 [Steel and Aluminum examples] of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. §1862, as amended) authorizes the President to impose trade restrictions—such as a tariff or quota—if the Secretary of Commerce determines, following an investigation, that imports of a good “threaten to impair” U.S. national security. {SOURCE}
Section 301 tariffs are a trade enforcement mechanism established under the Trade Act of 1974. They allow the U.S. government to impose tariffs on imports from countries that are found to be engaging in unfair trade practices. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) conducts investigations to determine if a country is violating trade agreements, and if so, it can impose tariffs as a corrective measure {SOURCE}
Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows the U.S. president to impose tariffs of up to 15% to address “large and serious” balance-of-payments deficits. This authority can be exercised without prior congressional approval for a limited duration of 150 days. After this period, any tariffs must be extended by Congress. {SOURCE}
*FYI, there is a lot of distracting noise in the various social media platforms about internecine MAGA battles and ego-driven points of specific interest. CTH chooses to focus energy and attention on the substantive policy issues that will generate substantive policy outcomes for America.
The Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act?
Research is your friend. The average Tariff between 1860 and 1914 was about 35%. We had the greatest economic growth in history.
And no income tax.
YES, no income tax! It is so important that Republicans maintain and increase their majorities in Congress. IMO, Trump will rid us of income tax, or have us going down that road, before his term is over, provided Congress approves.
But, there was also no Social Security (collection started in 1935, first payments in 1940j, and no unemployment benefits (1932, started in Wisconsin).
There was also no, and this is perhaps the biggest of all, NO WELFARE STATE !
I’m reminded of the meme: “I already said I agree. You don’t have to try and convince me.”
Excellent.
I did not know that.
Is there a link or an article that expands on that.
Thank you. This is why history is not taught. God forbid you learn from it
And no Federal Reserve Bank, and our paper money was backed by gold and silver.
I watched the movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day off the other day. LOL!
Question:
Tariff revenue, for exmaple, via the International Emergency Economic Powers Act is reported to be between 129 Billion to 175 Billion. These dollars are deposited in the US Treasury. The appropriation of those dollars is with congress, which is made up of democrats, RINOs, and republicans. The benefit of those dollars to the Country and its Citizens is in the hands of those who are not interested in either.
Is the GOOD of tariffs is trapped in the BAD of congress?
The #DCCrimeCartel will never change, never stop stealing. It is their ENTIRE mission. Extract as much money as possible from The People’s Treasury to distribute among themselves and their cronies.
When the majority finally figure this out, we can get on with #nullifying the Federal Government and stop sending them Payroll Taxes.
Precisely !
Get elected and enter the Vassal Class.
Make enough connections to Steal enough Wealth, and Voila – you’ve elevated yourself into the Ruling Class.
Congress voted for 19 billion worth of fraud to illegal criminals. Did Senior citizens get a fair cost of living raise in any way, shape or form?
Nope.
No.
You mean benefiting the generation that contributed? Heavens, what a thought.
Most everything good is trapped in the BAD of Congress…
Were i to invoke logic,
Logic clearly dictates that:
– given a choice of funding the government by either:
1- income taxes
or
2- tariffs
The obvious answer would be TARIFFS, as they are capable of bringing in FAR MORE MONEY than income taxes
In addition, Congress would be able to STEAL FAR MORE MONEY in a TARIFF economy , AS THE PEOPLE WOULD NOT CARE BECAUSE “IT ISN’T THEIR MONEY.”
So Congress on both sides should be FIGHTING TO SWITCH TO A TARIFF ECONOMY.
But they aren’t.
Which simply proves that CONGRESS IS OWNED BY THE FOREIGN COMPANIES THAT WOULD BE PAYING THE TARIFFS
Why am i not surprised.
yep its a federal flea market.
Will be sent to ukraine and then back to their spouse’s “charity”
Keep in mind that none of tariff revenue rec’d from President Trump’s IEEPA tariff agenda went to either reducing the federal deficit or the existing federal debt. In fact, the deficit actually went up proving, yet again, that whatever money you give to the federal government will be spent and probably squandered!
America’s wealth rests on the shoulders of one man. He attracts prosperity like a magnet. He is able to defeat the absurd, dangerous and corrupt intentions of his opposition merely by using their tactics against them and using common sense, legal options and leverage provided by American citizens.
Midterms should be the moment when all America votes to thank him for his sacrifices. He must have both Houses to put America First Agenda on full speed ahead.
Trouble is, even with both houses, the Professionals refuse to act, all the while pounding their chests before our feckless media.
Dear BTDT,
The new great age of the American patriot voter applying pressure to a brand new selection of representatives is entirely possible. There is a herd of rats jumping ship with their millions in hopes of derailing the hated Trump. I believe it is possible for the empowered American individual to stand behind Trump as he recalibrates the true essence of legislative representation. After all, it is the one country on earth that can demand common sense and accountability. Too big to steal is still the option.
A great start would be for the great citizens of individual states to tear down their fake Republican party elite by forcing the removal of such scum as have allowed Murkowski, Collins, McConnell ect…….to become legacy thieves.
Trump doesn’t have to be the exception: he can be the rule.
Thank you for the conversation.
Good post!
It would have been nice if these clowns had used this statute the first time. Instead we have to listen to all the bilge about refunds etcetera which slows down the implementation of other needed programs.
The emergency declaration allowed Trump to impose the tariffs immediately. The other congressionally approved options require completion of department studies and other red tape prior to implementation. Team Trump used the time offered by inevitable court delay’s to complete the necessary bureaucratic niceties. They were ready to go before SCOTUS ever ruled.
It also provided more confirmation on how feckless the Supreme Court actually is. Maybe I should replace “feckless” with “captured”.
So I’m rather curious about your somewhat ambiguous statements and hoping you will clarify them so I better understand your post.
Would you be so kind as name the people you refer to as clowns?
Who is talking about all the “bilge” you feel you have to listen to and why do you “have to listen to all of it”?
And what “needed programs” are being slowed down and how exactly does listening to bilge slow them down?
I am a huge fan of Jamieson Greer, a worthy successor to the elegant , soft spoken Robert Lighthizer.
A man who I think follows the precept “Have more than you show, speak less than you know.” Steady, unflappable…
And not a man whom I would want to go up against in any trade negotiation.
Ah another Lighthizer fan! Thought he would be hard to replace but dang, Greer is up to the task! I like serious men.
Oh yes I am most definitely, Righted.
Focused, steely (just look at those eyes…as if he could see through anyone who thinks he could get the better of him), resolute, grounded in his craft.
And of course, a good Scottish name is Jamieson 😎 👍🏻
(I was going to mention he would look grand in a kilt, but then thought better of it. Also 😎 )
Clowns and bilge are just everyday politics as known under our current system, devised to stymie any progress on President Trump’s agenda. That is how I read it.
PDJT does not negotiate NICE. He reaches for all he can get knowing he won’t get it. That’s all this tariff thing is. He threw some stuff at the wall and some of it only stuck for a little while.
Art of the Deal….101
Love the focus on imports to battle the trade deficit.
We also need an all hands-on deck approach to EXPORTS starting with:
1) ~40 million illegal invaders that ALL must leave;
2) Non renewing those with “temporary” visa status (if anything in Gov’t is “temporary”);
3) Remove all the H1Bs and their spouses and anchor babies;
4) Tax remittances; and
5) NO welfare/medicade/EBT for ANY immigrant or relative.
Lets go team TRUMP. Make it so.
Thank You, Sundance!
“*FYI, there is a lot of distracting noise in the various social media platforms about internecine MAGA battles and ego-driven points of specific interest. CTH chooses to focus energy and attention on the substantive policy issues that will generate substantive policy outcomes for America.”
ABUNDANT BLESSINGS!
“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING…”
Proverbs 3:5 (AKJV)
much of the social media blather and apparent MAGA disagreements are, in my view, nothing but people concocting drama to get clicks and interest in what they are peddling. It’s a flat-out money hustle.
I really wonder how many of these people actually have a firm belief in what they say versus just cooking-up website clicks.
You know there are weak republicans who listen to democrats and are very susceptible to their rhetoric. They are also very scared of the leftist media and melt when the democrats spew their nonsense.
Ask and demand answers of any candidate “Can you give us a few sources of news and information that you trust to help you make decisions for the American people, and please tell us why you trust that source?”
Big 3 letter word that many folks don’t seem to use much and that is ASK! From personal to professional areas in one’s life, make a note to ASK questions.
Might just be surprised that you did.. 😎
I hope if any refunds are required that they don’t go to the big companies. Refunds need to go to the people that paid them and how they’re going to do that I have no idea. It sounds as though they were passed down to every consumer. The big companies will not refund it to their customers.
This will be interesting. If the big companies try to claim they incurred all the costs associated with the tariffs they are admitting they never passed them along to their end customers. This runs counter to the recent Joint Economic Committee Minority article estimated that tariffs had cost the American family $1,700 between February 2025 and January 2026 (see link below) which is probably based on some questionable analysis. I suspect there will be quite an argument between the importers, companies and pols wanting to pass the refunds on. Importers and companies should be required to prove they did not pass on the costs in order to claim refunds. Companies should be required to show if and how much they raised their prices when making claims. If that data shows the companies passed the costs on no refund for them. I suspect we will find that actual pass along costs to the end consumer are much less than we are led to believe. The reduced inflation rates during this period is pretty good proof the tariffs don’t contribute as much as the pols would like.
https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/7cc03e65-d40a-465f-9e88-09dd53d3502f/jec-fact-sheet-on-cost-of-tariffs-for-families-update.pdf
If consumers.had paid anything other then the smallest percentage our inflation numbers would reflect.it. They do not, ergo payments came from exporters the nation goods were exported from or the importer consumer was largely untouched.
It’s estimated by a lot of smart people that US citizens paid on average 90% of the tariffs.
You mean like those smart experts who exhorted people to take the jab? Some of those people who listened to the “smart” people are dead now from turbo cancer. Just believe Dr. “Science” Fauci. Gimme a break! Smart people my ASS.
What would we do without smart people/experts? <sarc>
The Canadian media is in a frenzy to get Epstein Island Carney a majority before the kerosene can tariffs blow up the country.
“Greer notes Mexico and Canada being used as import hubs to avoid tariffs is a big issue.”
The problem of import hubs to avoid tariffs, wherever they exist in the world, is a real world problem that needs to be strenuously resolved.
Easy solution. The first proven such goods sent to the US nullifies any Most Favored Trade partner status or free trade agreemsnet.
Our Founding Fathers researched taxation thoroughly. The means of gathering taxes, the impossibility of limiting the government’s taxation powers and the uses those taxes could be spent on. Regarding the means of obtaining tax revenues, income tax was regarded as the most expensive, inefficient, most susceptible to corruption means of taxation. The despicable bald faced theft of middle and lower class Americans wealth by planned inflation by the government. Throughout history the price of a loaf of bread was 2 cents, for various reasons inflation would raise the price until people would force the government to stop devaluing the currency or te government would fall.
That’s why the spending bills are constitutionally required to originate in the House of Representatives – because they can then be thrown out every two years should they get out of control.
Sadly, they’ve learned to game the whole system so it’s very hard to get rid of incumbents.
New campaign slogan ..? Defund the Media .. The liars and misinformation networks..
Paying the tariff was voluntary. Trump did not invade each and every boardroom (or politburo) and cast his overarching vote to force doing business in the US. Every company met and determined that it was in their best interest to pay the tariff as a cost of doing business, much like they weigh inflation, rising energy costs and of basic materials, probably a number of times every year.
Prices are adjusted (or not), margins are considered, and products or services continue to be offered or may be ‘retired’. All are business decisions that companies make every year.
No refunds for business decisions. Trump should warn them, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” 😉
The eu claims the new tariffsare higher than whatwas recently agreed to. They are using this as rhe excuse to not ratify the agreement. Are they lying?
yes
I think some now pay more and some less as ther 27 countries involved.
*”FYI, there is a lot of distracting noise in the various social media platforms”
One wonders how much of this is deep state driven psy-op influence to divide the MAGA base?!
Excellent point!
Most likely, pretty much all of it.
tariffs good supreme bad
I sincerely hope consumers will be made whole via tariff refunds.
I won’t shed a tear for any great American brands that desperately need tariff refunds from a President who is in office in large part due to their campaign donations.
If it’s a Great American Brand and made in the USA, you nor they paid any such tariff lol
I keep hearing the claim about we consumers paying an average of $1700 so far to cover the cost of the tariffs.
Did the “Joint Economic Committee Minority” report specify what specific products went up in price to cover the tariff cost with the amounts supported by provable evidence?
I’m sure there were some products, e.g. coffee since most of it comes from other countries. Car parts since we don’t manufacture them here. Beef is up but isn’t that primarily due to the herds being culled during the drought. I’m just wondering how many pennies per item extra we consumers actually paid for the tariffs.
Are there any other reports with differing numbers. The fact that inflation didn’t balloon seems to indicate there wasn’t a big impact on our wallets.
It’s still performative. We still being played. Ghengis Lincoln badly needed.
So the secretary of commerce (Lutnick) under section 232 will do an investigation on whether an unfair trade practice threatens national security. Seems like a slam dunk as “national security” is a broad area. Then again there is the courts