Morning Note

Responsible parents punish their children when they misbehave. Throw a tantrum at the dinner table? No iPad time for you.

The reason for this is not to be cruel or because the adults hate their kids. It’s to incentivize them to act appropriately. The parents use their leverage to create order and harmony. It’s good for all parties involved.

The same basic concept applies to foreign affairs. Mexico, Canada, and nearly every other American “ally” have spent years ripping off the United States on trade, immigration, and defense spending, and America’s leaders have done nothing to stop them. From those nations’ perspectives, why wouldn’t they act as they have? It’s been in their national interests, and Washington has been too weak to do anything about it. 

But no longer. If Mexico and Canada keep allowing uncontrolled masses of illegal immigrants and untold amounts of fentanyl to flow into the U.S., they’ll begin facing massive 25% tariffs. The president announced yesterday that he could implement those as soon as February 1st.

Read more.

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