President Trump is determining equivalent reciprocal tariffs, considering remedies, and estimating fiscal impacts on the national government and information-collection costs to the public.

Fast, extensive change, even change that's initially for the worse, works out best for freedom. Even so, tariff increases have done serious harm and have persisted for decades.

It's worth discussing constitutionality, harms, dynamics, and options.

Constitutionality

Tariffs unconstitutionally deprive each person of a different proportion of his liberty, as do all revenue sources other than fully flat taxes on labor income.

Setting tariffs is archetypal legislative power. Tariffs raise revenue, so they must originate in the current house of representatives.

Tariff agreements, though, are treaties. Treaties are law, and remote collaboration is practical now. All treaties should be drafted by the current senate and the other nations' authorities, passed if they'd be helpful, and signed by the current president if they're advisable and enforceable.