Peter's Blog

The United States has taken a very strong protectionist stance on global trade. With the recent tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, which include 10% baseline duties on most imports, a staggering 145% on Chinese goods, and targeted tariffs on European and automotive imports, the debate over the nation’s trade policy has become highly contentious. […]

As each day follows “Liberation Day,” the Trump administration’s justifications for tariffs continue to fall. All that remains are economic fallacies and the continuing concentration of power in the executive.

Another week goes by, and rumors of new trade wars ebb and flow. Tariffs are a perfect example of economist Frédéric Bastiat’s concept of the “seen and unseen.” Protectionists tout tariffs as a way to protect American jobs, but they fail to see the subtle, slower effects of their policies that ultimately make Americans worse […]

First there was the first Trump trade war, which appeared to end before it began. Now, a dizzying Round Two has begun of the Trump tariff saga, and it isn’t clear what concessions will be made. But there is a common denominator: things change quickly under a Trump administration, with a rapid-fire news cycle and […]

With Trump’s latest batch of tariffs taking effect on March 4th, the American consumer is in for an economic beating. Just like any other tax, tariffs make us poorer.

President Trump says he wants to be “The Tariff President,” fully embracing a longstanding and powerful tool in the economic arsenals of nations. 

On his first post-Thanksgiving podcast, Peter tackles another week of economic illiteracy, focusing mainly on a severe tariff proposal floated by President-elect Trump. He also spends time discussing the origins of Black Friday and comments on the motivations of the American electorate in electing Trump.

From all of us at SchiffGold, we hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! During his holiday vacation last week, Peter offered his thoughts on the economic lessons to be learned from the first Thanksgiving holiday. He spends most of this episode discussing the misguided rhetoric surrounding tariffs and protectionist policies, explaining […]

As the nation prepares for Trump’s second term, protectionism and hostility to free-trade are getting a second wind.To preempt the economics behind these ideas, it’s worth revisiting the fact that the government cannot “level the playing field” or create free markets. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed do […]

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the Oval Office, his proposed trade policies have reignited concerns about the economic impact of tariffs on American consumers. Trump has vowed to impose sweeping tariffs of up to 20% on all imports and a staggering 60% on Chinese goods. While he claims these measures will stimulate […]