Eakinomics: A Poetic Critique of Tariffs
Guest authored by Jacqueline Varas, Director of Immigration and Trade Policy at AAF.

Tariffs, retaliation, and trade agreement delays,
It’s a crazy world we’re in these days.
Consumers are hurting; business investment is disconcerting;
And negotiations are going up in a blaze.

Now the president is betting it all,
Imposing taxes on Chinese goods large and small.
But the tariffs have not achieved his aim,
And Chinese retaliation causes farmers great pain.

The president argues that China is paying,
When Americans are really the ones dismaying.
And he argues that China is manipulating its currency,
When his tariffs cause investors in China to flee.

The best thing President Trump could do is rejoin TPP,
Join with all the world for China to see.
Cooperation beats isolation every time,
But it’s doubtful that he will see this rhyme.

So prepare for prices to go up at the store,
And tensions to rise more and more,
Because from where I’m standing there’s no end in sight,
And nobody wins in a trade fight.