• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Should the US President have the unilateral power to impose tariffs on other countries?

Should the US President have the unilateral power to impose tariffs on other countries?


  • Total voters
    35

Yes_Minister

DP Veteran
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
9,237
Reaction score
3,928
Gender
Undisclosed
Political Leaning
Undisclosed
Should the US President have the unilateral power to impose tariffs on other countries?
 
Should they? No. Do they? Pretty much, yeah.
 
Technically he doesn't.

Congress is responsible for tariffs.
Yeah, no.

The U.S. Constitution gives the Congress the authority to impose taxes — including tariffs — but lawmakers have gradually ceded power over trade policy to the White House.

Trump has made the most of the power vacuum, raising the average U.S. tariff to more than 18%, the highest rate since 1934, according to the Budget Lab at Yale University.
 
"Tariffs" = Import Taxes. It's a new sales tax on what you buy!

If it's made in another country you pay more so billionaires can have another income tax cut.
 


On another forum I was just talking about how everything I've been told about the constitution is bullshit. I went to high school there and learned it is 'the greatest document in the history of mankind".

Nothing else they told me was true either
 
Should the US President have the unilateral power to impose tariffs on other countries?
Tariffs aren’t imposed on OTHER countries.

Tariffs are paid by American consumers/companies when products are imported.

Should a POTUS be able to unilaterally impose them?

Our Congressional leaders won’t go against him, so he does what he wants with their consent.
 
No, but to give the 1977 Congress some sort of cover, it's hard to predict that a mentally challenged man baby would be President and Congress would be full of simps that share their porn usage with their children.
 
According to Mr. Google the US President currently only has limited authority to impose tariffs. Which seems probably appropriate overall.

Unfortunately Donald Trump is presently distorting/exploiting that granted authority in a way that it was never intended to be used.


While the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to impose tariffs, the President has been delegated some authority to do so under certain circumstances. Specifically, the President can impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in cases of an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to national security, foreign policy, or the economy. However, this authority is not unlimited.

For example, former President Trump utilized the IEEPA to impose tariffs, arguing they addressed national security threats related to trade deficits and illegal fentanyl trafficking. However, the use of presidential tariff authority without clear congressional guidance has been criticized for potentially bypassing checks and balances and leading to economic disruptions.


..
 
Should the US President have the unilateral power to impose tariffs on other countries?

No, except perhaps in case of actual emergencies.
 
Yes for perhaps a 90 day nonrenewable period to give congress time to set a tariff properly.
 
Unilateral? No.
 
Article Two of the United States Constitution grants power of foreign policy to the president of the United States. It makes sense that he would have the power to set tariffs considering this is one of the tools used to achieve foreign policy objectives.
 
No. I don't care who's in the White House. Tariffs should have to go through Congress.
I recall when the GOP claimed the executive branch has too much power, at the expense of Congress. Of course that was when a Dem occupied the WH, odd how that works eh?
 
Technically he doesn't.

Congress is responsible for tariffs.
Congress decided to delegate this, and many other powers.

And they don't want to take it back, because then they might get held responsible for how they use it.

Cowards.
 
Should the US President have the unilateral power to impose tariffs on other countries?
In "AMERICA" the President is the one that deals with other countries, in all manners of war (economic), and he his job is to
take care of his country.....

America's "Constitutional Republic" is the best form of Government that has existed in the World! The founding Fathers got things right!
 
No. It's a form of revenue for the Federal Government which is supposed to be a power of congress.
 
Should the US President have the unilateral power to impose tariffs on other countries?
Tariffs are imposed upon imports, not on other countries.
They may indirectly affect other countries by raising the price people in the USA have to pay for goods imported from them.

But the answer is no.
 
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…