“Tariffs, Tokens & Theatrics: A Modern Celebration of Empty Wins”

Let’s talk about tariffs. Not the boring, bureaucratic kind—no, we’re talking about the headline-grabbing, economy-wobbling variety. You know, the ones introduced with chest-pounding fanfare, promising to protect domestic industries while quietly raising prices for everyday citizens. The kind that sound like economic liberation but hit your wallet like a bad breakup.

And speaking of liberation, here comes Liberation Day—yet another flag-waving moment that’s somehow morphed into a cocktail of parades, platitudes, and performative patriotism. It’s meant to be solemn, historic, a reflection on freedom. Instead, it’s often reduced to a long weekend of fireworks and flash sales. Because nothing screams “honor the struggle” like 40% off patio furniture.

But back to tariffs.

When former President Trump rolled out his tariff policies, they were pitched as a bold play for American strength—clamping down on foreign steel, aluminum, and a laundry list of imports. In theory, it sounded tough. In practice? Businesses scrambled, prices rose, and farmers got bruised by retaliatory trade moves. The government had to bail out industries it had just hurt. That’s not protectionism—it’s economic whack-a-mole.

These tariffs didn’t just strain global relationships; they also strained common sense. Consumers paid more. Supply chains choked. Manufacturing costs rose. And somewhere in the chaos, politicians patted themselves on the back for “standing up to China,” while small businesses quietly footed the bill.

Which brings us back to Liberation Day.

What are we really celebrating when we commemorate national freedom while economic decisions at home chip away at financial stability? Liberation from what? If anything, we’ve traded one kind of dependence for another—foreign goods for domestic policy chaos, real reflection for retail therapy.

Here’s an idea: next Liberation Day, skip the sales. Instead, reflect on what freedom should actually look like in an economy. It’s not about isolating ourselves with ill-conceived trade barriers or slapping “Made in America” on overpriced goods. It’s about choice. Stability. Smart policy that doesn’t just sound good on TV.

Because real freedom isn’t loud. It’s lived.