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Nov 05, 2024

Opinion: Trump Mexico tariffs would hit you square in the wallet

In the hunt for votes, Donald Trump is promising to slap Mexico with 25% to 100% tariffs to force that country to crack down on border crossers. Trump promised on Monday that if elected president,

In the hunt for votes, Donald Trump is promising to slap Mexico with 25% to 100% tariffs to force that country to crack down on border crossers.

Trump promised on Monday that if elected president, he’d start by imposing 25% tariffs on Mexican goods and would quickly squeeze the country by 25% increments up to 100%.

Love the idea of punishing Mexico that way? Then get ready to pay for it.

This isn’t some abstract thing, like squeezing the federal government out of billions to pay for Trump’s border wall, despite Trump’s promise during his first presidential term that Mexico would pay for it.

No. This time, our wallets — as American consumers — would get hit directly.

Some of you are already complaining of the high cost of gas, groceries and other daily necessities.

But you have no idea how bad it would be if you send Trump to the White House and he does impose these tariffs on Mexican goods.

Tariffs are essentially taxes on importing goods, which are passed on to us, the consumers.

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The United States imports from Mexico everything from crude oil, auto parts and steel to cosmetics, electronics, medical instrumentals, beer, fruits, vegetables and nuts.

Our two-way trade reached nearly $800 billion in 2023, according to Forbes.

Mexico is Arizona’s top trading partner. Our state exported about $8 billion to Mexico and imported roughly $11.8 billion in 2023, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority.

“There are hundreds of companies here in the state of Arizona that have workers because of the trade that we do with Mexico,” Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly told Fox News on Monday, adding that if elected Trump would attempt “to destroy the Arizona economy.”

The magnitude of imposing up to 100% tariffs on America’s top trading partner is incalculable, economists say.

And we know Trump isn’t bluffing because he has slapped painful tariffs on goods before. Already, American industries from agriculture to automobiles are bracing for Trump’s renewed tariffs war.

I get it. It’s hard to grasp how devastating steep tariffs would be for both Mexico and America when passions are running high, and you want your guy to win at any cost.

Plus, many of you want to punish Mexico and stop border crossers at any cost.

Just know that you would end up paying the price, too, with your hard-earned dollars.

And if that happens, don’t complain about it later.

Elvia Díaz is editorial page editor for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Reach her at 602-444-8606 or [email protected]. Follow her on X, (formerly Twitter), @elviadiaz1.