Back in 1930, Washington thought hiking taxes on imports would save American jobs. Instead, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff crushed farms, factories, and families. Now history might repeat as leaders eye old protectionist tricks.
This disastrous law slapped massive taxes on over 20,000 foreign goods. It was supposed to shield workers from cheap imports. But when other nations fired back with their own tariffs, global trade collapsed. American exports dropped 60% within two years.
Economists begged President Hoover to veto Smoot-Hawley. They warned it would deepen the Depression. They were right. Prices soared while wages crashed. Soup kitchens overflowed as businesses shuttered. The law became a symbol of government incompetence.
Today, some want to resurrect this failed policy. Steve Forbes warns that obscure Smoot-Hawley provisions could let presidents bypass Congress on tariffs. That’s a dangerous power grab. Courts blocked Trump’s toughest trade moves before—but this loophole might change everything.
Free markets made America rich. Smoot-Hawley strangled trade between nations that should’ve been partners. When government tries to micromanage commerce, workers always pay the price. Real leadership means cutting deals—not starting wars with economic allies.
Conservatives know overregulation kills prosperity. Letting DC bureaucrats pick trade winners and losers invites corruption. China cheats—but matching their bad behavior hurts our farmers and factories more. Smart sanctions beat blanket tariffs every time.
The 1930s taught us that trade walls don’t protect jobs. They destroy them. America thrives when we sell goods abroad, not when we hide from competition. Patriots want fair play, not handouts for politically connected industries.
Freedom built this country. Let’s honor that legacy by rejecting failed big-government schemes. No more backroom tariff deals. No more economic suicide pacts. Let American workers outcompete the world—like we’ve always done when government gets out of the way.
