America First? Try Consumers Last

As Trump peddles his tariff tantrums as patriotism, consumers foot the bill while CEOs raise prices. It's time Democrats fight fire with three-word slogans that stick. "CONSUMERS PAY TARIFFS".

Guest article by Michael Cohen

Let me lay it out for you straight, because somebody has to cut through the bullshit already of Trump’s economic voodoo. The tariffs Trump keeps slapping on foreign imports aren’t some brilliant tactic to bring back jobs to America or to punish China. They’re a scam. A grift. A three-card monte game where you think you’re watching a master strategist, but the only thing he’s mastered is screwing over the very people who still show up to his rallies in red MAGA hats made in China.

Let me say this loud for the folks in the cheap seats: Tariffs. Are. Taxes. And guess who’s picking up the tab? It ain’t Xi Jinping. It’s you. Do you hear me? It’s you. The American consumer. The voter. The family trying to buy groceries or a pair of back-to-school sneakers for your kid.

We need to get serious about how we fight back, and it starts with language. Republicans love their three-word mantras: “Lock Her Up,” “Build the Wall,” “Mass Deportation Now,” “Drain the Swamp.” Spoiler alert: they filled it. So, why are Democrats still using paragraphs and policy papers when the GOP is using punchlines?

Here’s a free strategy tip to all Democrats, courtesy of someone who knows exactly how Trumpworld works: beat the conman with clarity. Start using slogans that stick. How about “Consumers Pay Tariffs,” or “Tariffs Raise Prices,” or simply “Tariffs Are Taxes”? How about “We Deserve Better”? Every time a reporter shoves a mic in your face, say it. Every time you hit a stump speech, say it. Tattoo it on your forehead if you have to, because if the Democrats don’t brand this properly, Trump will keep selling this snake oil as if he’s saving the economy. And the 2026 midterms will be another disaster.

Let’s talk numbers. Trump’s latest imposed tariffs: 30% on Chinese goods, 10% on a bunch of others, and then he had the gall to tell Americans it was China footing the bill. Meanwhile, Walmart, Target, Costco, Best Buy, Nike, Macy’s—every big-name retailer you know—has either jacked up prices or warned they're about to. And what do these CEOs say in their earnings calls when investors ask why the margins are shrinking? One word: TARIFFS.

Best Buy's CEO didn’t mince words—tariffs forced them to hike prices. Costco’s CFO said they’re absorbing some costs, but not all, because, surprise, they're not in the charity business. Even good old American Eagle pulled its full-year financial guidance because the crystal ball turned to fog once Trump decided to make international trade policy a game of “Who Wants to Be a Dictator?”

And don’t let the euphemisms fool you. Some companies avoid the “T” word and opt for phrases like “macroeconomic uncertainty.” That’s corporate-speak for “we’re getting hosed, and so are you.”

Let me tell you how this actually works, because I’ve sat at the table with this guy. Trump thinks if he slaps a tariff on a country, they’ll eat the cost just to stay in the U.S. market. But that’s not how economics—or power—works. The supplier raises the price, the retailer passes it along, and the customer, a.k.a. you, ends up paying more for roses, bananas, coffee, TVs, toys, and yes, even that Ninja espresso machine your wife wanted.

So while Trump rails about “America First,” he’s actually making life more expensive for working Americans—first, second, and third. And the worst part? He’s banking on the fact that you won’t understand it. That you’ll fall for the flag-waving and ignore the receipt in your hand that’s getting longer every month.

Meanwhile, economists from the right and the left agree that tariffs are inflationary. A survey by the Chief Executive Group and AlixPartners found that 68% of U.S. CEOs are raising or planning to raise prices due to—you guessed it—Trump’s tariffs. That’s not socialism. That’s capitalism calling bullshit on this administration’s chaos.

But maybe you don’t trust economists or CEOs. Fine. Just ask your bank account. Why did that stroller cost 20% more? Why are your sneakers twenty-five dollars higher? Why does a Barbie doll feel like a luxury item? Because the cost of Trump’s ego trip is coming out of your wallet.

And what’s the grand plan to fix it? Oh right—there isn’t one. Trump’s tariffs get struck down by a federal trade court, then reinstated by an appeals court, like we’re running economic policy through a slot machine.

Here’s the truth: Trump’s economic strategy is all about optics. It’s about appearing tough, not being smart. It’s about yelling into a camera that America is winning while Americans quietly get fleeced. It’s the con of all cons, and unless Democrats start branding it like a street fight, we’ll lose again in the court of public opinion.

So here’s your call to action: Repeat after me—“Tariffs Are Taxes.” “Consumers Pay Tariffs.” Say it until you’re hoarse and the truth drowns out the lies. Put it on bumper stickers. Drop it in ads. Hell, skywrite it over Mar-a-Lago if you have to.

Because in Trump’s America, the consumer always pays—and the conman always walks away richer.

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