President Trump has rolled out an idea [1] that has Americans perking up like they just heard the ice cream truck drive by: “tariff dividend” checks – at least $2,000 per person (except high-income earners) – funded by revenue from tariffs on foreign imports. Translation: Make China pay so that you can get paid.
Critics (Trump-haters) are already complaining, of course. They’re calling it gimmicky, unrealistic, irresponsible, and populist – as in popular with the people actually living in the country. At the end of the day, they’re just trying to block anything that might help Americans, would boost Trump’s image, or win the president any goodwill.
And let’s be honest: whether you plan to pay bills, stock up the freezer, or finally replace that couch that looks like it came from a college dumpster in 2003 – a check with your name on it sounds pretty good right now, especially with the holidays fast approaching.
Although the timing of when the checks will arrive in mailboxes is not something that Trump has outlined, it likely won’t be this year.
Washington has certainly wasted money on dumber things. Remember the almost- $500,000 NIH study [2] on whether pigeons can gamble?
At least this time, we get something.