President Trump likes to say that “tariff” is the most beautiful word in the dictionary, save for perhaps “love.” But if tariffs are the political and economic winner he thinks, why are House Republicans trying to duck a vote to support them?
GOP House leaders on Tuesday used a procedural sleight-of-hand to block Democrats from forcing a vote to terminate Mr. Trump’s national emergency declarations for fentanyl and the southern border. The President used the emergency to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
The National Emergencies Act provides fast-track procedures for Congress to end a presidential emergency. New York Democrat Gregory Meeks introduced a resolution to terminate Mr. Trump’s emergency on March 6 and he intended to force a floor vote this month. This would force Republicans to vote on the record for supporting Mr. Trump’s tariffs, which are a tax increase.
However, Republicans inserted a provision in a rule governing debate on their government funding bill that would block consideration of Mr. Meeks’ resolution for the rest of the year. Republicans say their turnabout is fair play since Democrats similarly blocked a vote to terminate Joe Biden’s Covid national emergency declaration, which he used to forgive student debt.
GOP House leaders are no doubt trying to protect Members in swing districts where Mr. Trump’s tariffs are unpopular. An Emerson College poll this week reported that 53% of voters say Mr. Trump’s tariffs will hurt the economy, versus 37% who said they would help it. Hispanics by a margin of two-to-one said tariffs would hurt.
Meantime, only 37% of voters approve of Mr. Trump’s handling of the economy, which is striking given this was a large reason he was elected. Voters gave him a mandate to restore broad-based prosperity and lift real wages that had eroded under Mr. Biden’s inflation. But most Americans understand that tariffs are a tax on consumers and businesses.
Beyond the MAGA echo chamber, Mr. Trump’s tariffs are unpopular. But businesses don’t want to challenge them in court because they are afraid of retaliation. Nor do Democratic state Attorneys General, perhaps because they want to preserve a future Democratic President’s flexibility under the law to declare climate an emergency to impose carbon tariffs.
While House Republicans can run from a vote, they can’t hide from voters in 2026 who may not find Mr. Trump’s tariffs beautiful.
— Wall Street Journal
