After winning the midterms, Democrats are debating how to restore congressional authority over tariffs, including those imposed on Canada. The author argues that both the Trump and Biden administrations failed by favoring a unilateral trade policy, tariffs, and customs measures that alienated partners and raised prices in the United States. Between January 2025 and October 2026, the average hourly wage of manufacturing production workers rose 6.6%, compared with 5.8% inflation, showing that tariffs did not protect industrial employment. Congress should establish new Trade Promotion Authority, restore participatory consultations, and make every new agreement conditional on partners’ effective enforcement of labor and environmental standards.
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