June 19, 2025

The Trump Tariff Scam: How You Got Stuck With the Billionaire Tax Bill

The Trump Tariff Scam: How You Got Stuck With the Billionaire Tax Bill
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The Trump Tariff Scam: How You Got Stuck With the Billionaire Tax Bill

Think Trump’s tariffs punished other countries? Think again. You paid more so billionaires could pay less. Here’s how the scam really works.

In this episode, we dive deep into the intricate world of tariffs, focusing specifically on those championed by former President Donald Trump. While Trump has often touted tariffs as a means of punishing other countries and boosting the American economy, the reality paints a different picture.

We break down how these tariffs, aimed at products from countries like Canada, end up acting as hidden taxes for American consumers. Our discussion uses the example of Canadian lumber imports to explain how a 25% tariff increases costs not for the country exporting the goods, but for the US stores and, ultimately, the American public. Listeners will learn how the price hike is passed down to end consumers, resulting in higher costs for everyday items like fences, decks, and houses.

The episode also exposes the double-edged sword of tariffs. The additional revenue collected, which Donald Trump proudly claims reaches over $80 billion, does not funnel into public services like education, infrastructure, or healthcare. Instead, it's used to subsidize the substantial tax cuts given to corporations and billionaires, further widening economic inequality.

Tune in to understand how these financial measures are shaping not only the US economy but also the livelihoods of everyday Americans, revealing the unseen effects of policies that claim to bolster national wealth while burdening its citizens.

00:04 - Tariffs and Their True Cost

01:23 - The Hidden Tax on Consumers

WEBVTT

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Let's talk about tariffs, specifically the ones Donald Trump loves to brag about.

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He says tariffs punish other countries, make America rich, and bring jobs back home.

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But here's what actually happens. Spoiler alert, you get stuck with the bill.

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Let's say an American store imports lumber from Canada.

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Before the tariff, they paid $100.

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Then Trump imposes a 25% tariff. The cost is now $125.

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And guess who actually pays it? Not Canada.

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They still receive the same $100 for that lumber. Not the billionaire who owns the U.S. lumber store.

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So who pays? You do. Because the store

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passes that extra cost onto you by increasing the price of the lumber.

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So when you build that new fence, deck, or house, it costs you more,

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thanks to what is basically a hidden tax on American consumers.

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And what does the U.S. government do with that extra money?

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Does it pay for schools, roads, or affordable health care? Absolutely not.

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It helps cover the cost of Trump's

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massive tax cuts for corporations and billionaires. So let's be clear.

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Tariffs are not about making foreign countries pay. They are about making you

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pay while the wealthy get richer.

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Donald himself bragged recently that the U.S. has collected over $80 billion

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in tariffs. Donald Trump raised your taxes.

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He just labeled them something else, and his idiot base is buying it, literally.