President Trump waved a piece of paper at journalists today, saying it was proof of a done deal with Mexico, even though Mexican officials were saying, “Uh, nada.”
Who knows the truth? Not Americans. We elected a liar and con man to the highest office in the land and can’t believe a word he says whether we like what he’s doing or not. Back in Abraham Lincoln’s day, being nicknamed “Honest Abe” was a compliment. Trump has maligned truth and honesty to the point that I can barely pay attention to any word that sneaks out of his orange lips and tumbles into the tainted ether.
Red-state Texas voters have been leaning bluer in recent years, and that trend might continue should Trump follow through eventually with his proposed tariffs on all goods coming from Mexico. His proposed 5-percent tariff could kill more than 400,000 jobs if initiated and maintained –– including more than 100,000 jobs lost in Texas alone. Trump had threatened to impose the tariff beginning June 10 if Mexico officials don’t stem the flow of migrants into the United States, but he postponed the idea after announcing a deal with Mexico to stem migration.
The action sounded like one of Trump’s empty threats or manufactured dramas designed to control the news feeds, but if the tariff is imposed, it could be a job killer and economy slower, according to recent analyses by the Perryman Group, a Texas-based economic analysis firm.
The tariff on imports coming from Mexico could escalate costs to domestic consumers and businesses, particularly since Mexico is one of this country’s top trading partners. Typically, consumers end up offsetting the costs of tariffs.
The proposed tariff could increase costs of goods by $28 billion a year in the United States, the Perryman study showed. Texans will feel most of that hit and could see a $12 billion reduction in gross products and $7 billion loss in income each year.
