If there is any doubt that the threat of tariffs can be effectively used by the world’s largest economy to induce foreign policy agreements that protect and serve the interests of the American people, one need only look at what is happening in Mexico. To the clear chagrin of globalists within both the Republican Party and the establishment media, President Trump announced May 30 that he would slap an escalating tariff on all Mexico goods coming into the U.S. unless that country finally acted to dam the raging flood of migrants that regularly washes through the heart of the nation on its way to the southern porch of America.
“Tariffs are not real popular in the Republican Conference,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) spitefully chided after Trump revealed his plans. The deal “consists largely of actions that Mexico had already promised to take in prior discussions with the United States over the past several months,” The New York Times poutingly blustered.
Winning the Negotiation
Of course, Trump’s bold tariff action was taken precisely because Mexico was doing absolutely nothing to cease the flow of migrants through its country, prior discussion be damned. Taken aback by Trump’s action, the Mexican government quickly moved to satisfy the president, who has always made it clear that if these words were not backed by concrete deeds, the tariffs would be promptly instituted.
Now, not even three weeks after Trump first announced the planned tariffs, Mexico is tripping over itself to comply. Authorities have drastically increased immigration enforcement along notorious migrant routes in southern Mexico, the Associated Press reported over the June 15-16 weekend, and intercepted four trucks filled to the brim with 791 illegal aliens.
The Mexican government plans to deploy 6,000 National Guard troops at its border with Guatemala, AP reports. They will man checkpoints and have been spotted pulling passengers without documents out of their vehicles. Since many of the trucks used to transport Central Americans to the U.S. avoid the major checkpoints by traveling at night, Mexican officials are busy setting up additional roadblocks to cover more ground.
When Mexico signed its deal with the U.S. on stepping up its enforcement actions, it agreed to have its tangible actions monitored by America to show that they are constructive and meaningful, and not mere theater. “Mexico was not being cooperative on the Border in things we had, or didn’t have, and now I have full confidence, especially after speaking to their President yesterday, that they will be very cooperative and want to get the job properly done,” Trump tweeted June 9 of his deal with Mexico. If not, “we can always go back to our previous, very profitable, position of Tariffs – But I don’t believe that will be necessary.”
The Art of Strength
It would be foolish for Republican free-trade critics of Trump to deny that the tariff threat against Mexico is reaping immediate benefits. One can only conclude that those who continue to speak out against the tactic truly do not want to solve the illegal immigration crisis in this country. But then these Swamp creatures have always been more concerned with the stock prices of the corporations that donate piles of money to their campaigns than they are with the welfare of the American people.
In Trump we finally have a president who is harnessing the enormous negotiating power of America to benefit the average citizen instead of vested crony interests. As Arjun Reddy at Business Insider observed, Trump is using the leverage of the leading economy in the world to better serve the people of that nation.
“The best thing you can do is deal from strength, and leverage is the biggest strength you can have. Leverage is having something the other guy wants. Or better yet, needs. Or best of all, simply can’t do without,” Trump wrote in his 1987 book, The Art of the Deal, Reddy notes.
The president has successfully used leverage to enact a foreign agreement that will greatly help alleviate a national crisis on our southern border. Yet Republican senators are still moving ahead with proposed legislation to take the tariff weapon out of his hand. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IO), committed globalist Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) are spearheading this ignoble effort.
“The Failing @nytimes, & ratings challenged @CNN, will do anything possible to see our Country fail! They are truly The Enemy of the People!” Trump tweeted of the establishment media giants who disparaged his Mexico deal. What, then, are we to conclude of this triumvirate of GOP Senate Swamp toads?
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