“No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Control of the Congress.” Article I, Section 10, Clause 2 of the constitution.

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act allows the president to impose tariffs if he declares a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act, which Trump did, declaring a “national emergency to increase our competitive edge, protect our sovereignty, and strengthen our national and economic security.”

In 2024, the United States had the largest economy in the world with just under $29.74 trillion in GDP, followed by China – $18 trillion, and Germany – $5.76 trillion.

What emergency existed that required the president to invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act? Trade imbalances are not an emergency because we have had trade imbalances for decades and they were not emergency then, why are they now?

Seventy percent of our economy is based on consumerism so it stands to reason that our foreign trade deficits with other countries would be that high. If it were low or equal, our purchasing power would be less, because our hourly workers don’t make that much. If we want to make it here, we will have to pay workers more, like Henry Ford did, so they can purchase products made in America. That would mean a minimum wage of at least $22 per hour and possibly more.

What is an emergency is the fact that we have lost the trust of our allies, like Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, etc. They are considering not doing business with us because we are using tariffs to blackmail them into doing our will. Friends do not blackmail friends! It’s like cheating on a spouse. When trust is broken, it becomes hard to move forward. The trust we lost is greater than the $3-9 trillion dollars of lost Wall Street market share, because trust is priceless! Losing economic allies is like losing sales for every US company and the farm industry, thereby losing profits from all the customers they used to sell to!

How can we trust Congress when it lets the President override its constitutional requirement to impose tariffs? How do we trust our leaders when they make excuses for helping the rich get richer at the expense of the poor? Where are the virtues of honesty, trust, integrity, love of neighbor, liberty and justice for all? This is what the world needs most, and we are throwing it all away for the whims of egotistical man who was impeached twice, indicted four times, and cheated on his wife. These actions are not trustworthy, nor do they represent the Pledge of Allegiance, our Constitution, or the values of America!

Edward Vos is a Jamestown resident.