On this Theory, Borders are Wealth-Enhancing Opportunities

Here's a letter to Newsmax.com:

Announcing a possible announcement that he might soon announce a presidential bid, Donald Trump, as you report, said today that "the United States should tax Chinese products to reduce foreign imports and create American jobs" ("Trump Seriously Thinking About White House Bid," Dec. 2).

Genius.  But why stop there?  Let's amend the Constitution so that each state can tax goods and services produced in other states.  California could then tax products from Nevada, Michigan, New Jersey, and each of the other states that now are home to producers with total freedom to market their wares, untariffed, in high-unemployment California.  If Mr. Trump's economics is correct, the result would be tariffs imposed by Sacramento that end this theft of California jobs by out-of-state producers.

And ditto for every other state in the union.  By so multiplying the opportunities to impose job-creating taxes on goods and services produced in other political jurisdictions, Americans' economic security would be assured…. assuming, that is, that Mr. Trump's economics is correct.

Sincerely,

Donald J. Boudreaux