History shows us that Liberation Day is just repeating poor tariffs ideology that ultimately increases things we pay for. 
This week, the word “patriotism” was auctioned off once again—this time to the highest tariff. On April 2nd, President Trump declared a so-called “Liberation Day,” slapping 10% tariffs on everything imported into the United States, with rates climbing as high as 54% for China. Source: Business Insider
The justification? To bring jobs home, to flex sovereignty, to punish foreign competition. But we’ve seen this before. And the receipts always come due. Thats what tariffs do.
On April 5th, those tariffs went into effect. Markets plunged. Allies bristled. And American families woke up in a nation that quietly voted for inflation without putting the question on a ballot. The S&P 500 slipped into bear market territory, and global indices tumbled from Tokyo to London. Source: Al Jazeera, Source: The Guardian
This isn’t the first time America has tried a Liberation Day approach to tariff its way to strength. Spoiler alert: tariffs dont work.
In 1828, Congress passed the so-called “Tariff of Abominations” to protect Northern industry by heavily taxing imported goods. It outraged the South, especially South Carolina, which depended on imports and exports. Vice President John C. Calhoun led a movement for nullification, arguing states could reject federal laws they deemed unconstitutional. The crisis nearly brought about secession and set the stage for the Civil War.
Then in 1930, during the early years of the Great Depression, Congress passed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act. Intended to protect American agriculture and industry, it instead triggered a cascade of retaliatory tariffs around the world. Global trade plummeted by over 60%, worsening the economic collapse and leading to widespread job losses.
Both times, we paid dearly not just in economic terms of tariffs, but in national cohesion and global standing. Patriotism waned. And now, in 2025, it seems we’ve chosen to forget.
This week wasn’t just about economic policy. It was about moral priorities.
What do we really pay for in America? Cheap socks and expensive wars. Subsidized billionaires and starving school lunches. We are constantly told that freedom isn’t free—but lately, it seems we’re being charged for cruelty and calling it liberty. Or Liberation Day.
Meanwhile, resistance stirred.
From Paris to Frankfurt, from Alaska to New York, the people marched. Protests across the globe condemned not just Trump’s tariffs, but the alliance of power and profit they represent. Source: Reuters, Source: Newsweek
And here at home, a new bill was introduced—the Trade Review Act of 2025—a bipartisan push to require Congressional approval for any new tariffs. A flicker of accountability in the shadows of economic war. Source: The Guardian, Source: Sen. Bennet Press Release
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So what comes next?
April 6 onward, we begin to feel the pinch. Supply chains adjust. Prices creep. Retaliations roll in. If this moment follows the rhythm of the past, the cost won’t just be economic—it’ll be spiritual.
Because the real question isn’t whether America can afford these tariffs. It’s whether we can afford what they reveal:
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That we mistake belligerence for strength.
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That we reward fearmongering with votes.
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That we let the powerful sell us hardship as a badge of honor.
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Call to Action:
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📣 Share this post if you believe patriotism shouldn’t be sold off at the port.
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🗳️ Contact your representatives and support the Trade Review Act of 2025.
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🧠 Follow our ongoing coverage on DoWhatMATAs.com, and join the Friday reflections each week.
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We must ask not just what we’re buying, but what we’re becoming. And if we don’t like the answer, we must choose a different cost.
Until next week,
Keep thinking.
Keep watching.
And keep resisting the easy lie.
– Walden