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Yet another war. This time with Mexico.

Published by digby on June 1, 2019

Yet another war. This time with Mexico.

by digby

Vanity Fair reports that Trump used his bogus “national security” excuse to slap tariffs on Mexico, against the advice of his trade and economic advisers (except the nutcase Peter Navarro) at the urging of the malevolent xenophobe Stephen Miller:

CNBC reports that while all of Trump’s actual economic advisors were opposed to the tariffs—which are typically used to counter trade violations, not as a border enforcement mechanism—they were pushed hard by Miller, who has spent his entire time in the White House using whatever means necessary to keep (non-white) people out of the country. (Most recently, he proposed busing detained immigrants to sanctuary cities in blue states as retribution for opposing his agenda.) Knowing that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, and National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow were staunchly opposed to what is, effectively, a tax on U.S. corporations and consumers, Miller seemingly struck at just the right moment. According to reporters Kayla Tausche and Tucker Higgins, Kudlow—who admitted the truth about who pays for these trade wars last month—is currently out of the West Wing for surgery on his hip. Per the Wall Street Journal, Lighthizer “tried to talk the president out of the move.”

Miller, whose role in making the Mexico tariffs happen was confirmed to CNBC by two sources, has made no secret of his disdain for immigration of any kind. Last month, he reportedly “demanded” to know why administration officials were taking so long to implement a regulation to deny welfare to legal immigrants that the angry 33 year-old predicted would be “transformative.” He was also unhappy about a lack of progress in overturning court-ordered protections for migrant kids, enraged that his fellow staffers weren’t eating undocumented children for breakfast. “You ought to be working on this regulation all day every day,” he reportedly shouted. “It should be the first thought you have when you wake up. And it should be the last thought you have before you go to bed. And sometimes you shouldn’t go to bed.” By numerous accounts, Miller was behind Trump’s purge of the Department of Homeland Security, which he believed was necessary because officials weren’t working fast enough on policies that “were legally questionable, impractical, unethical or unreasonable.”

Here’s Axios on Republican officials having some slight concerns:

Republican lawmakers voiced their concerns and grievances following President Trump’s Thursday announcement of new tariffs against Mexican goods.

Why it matters: While Republicans still argue that border security and immigration are top policy issues, some are worried Trump’s sanctions could jeopardize plans to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

What they’re saying:

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released a statement saying: “This is a misuse of presidential tariff authority and counter to congressional intent. Following through on this threat would seriously jeopardize passage of USMCA, a central campaign pledge of President Trump’s and what could be a big victory for the country. President Trump should consider alternatives, such as imposing a fee on the billions of dollars of remittances that annually leave the United States to Mexico, which only encourage illegal immigration and don’t help the U.S. economy.”
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said: “A tariff targeting Mexico that negatively impacts our own interests will only end in a waiting game of increasingly harmful consequence to the American people.”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) released a statement: “If the president goes through with this, I’m afraid progress to get this trade agreement across the finish line will be stifled. While I support the need for comprehensive border security and a permanent fix to illegal immigration, this isn’t the right path forward. I’m asking the president to reconsider, and for Democrats to work with us to find a solution to the humanitarian crisis at our southern border.”
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.) in a statement said: “The president is right to point out the crisis at our southern border. However, a blanket tax increase on everything Americans purchase from Mexico is the wrong remedy. Tariffs are a dangerous and risky economic tool. They raise the cost of products for American families, reduce market share abroad for U.S. exporters, and make our economy less competitive globally. History has shown us time and again that nobody wins a trade war: Trade is mutually beneficial, and trade restrictions, like tariffs, are mutually harmful.”
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) tweeted: “I support @POTUS’ proposals to fund border security & change certain laws that encourage people to come from Central America. Let’s focus on solving the crisis at the border but not hurt our economy and endanger an important @POTUS goal — a better trade deal w/ #Canada & #Mexico.”

Whatever. These are the only people Trump listens to:

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