Recall that President Donald Trump has threatened a sequence of rising tariffs on all Mexican goods in an effort to get Mexico to take seriously its broad contribution to the crisis we have on our border with that nation.

Republican lawmakers are gearing up for a vote to potentially override President Trump’s planned tariff on Mexico this month….

These lawmakers are concerned that the tariffs could jeopardize passage of the USMCA, and they’re worried that they will hurt Americans.  These folks have lost sight of some important facts.

One is that, after the announcement of the upcoming tariffs, the Mexican government said it intended to move ahead with ratification of the USMCA. The only ones in the way of its final acceptance are Congress’ Progressive-Democrats, who generally don’t like the deal in any event, and these Republicans.

Another is that international trade, including tools of international trade like tariffs, have nothing to do with economics and everything to do with foreign policy.

A third is the nature of conflict.  These Republicans need to understand that no conflict is bloodless for either side.   They need to stop worrying so much about their own stubbed toes and consider the effect these particular tariffs would have on Mexico and whether they just might have the intended effect.

Any attempt by Congress to get in the way can only undermine Trump’s foreign policy move to push Mexico to get serious about those whom Mexico is allowing illegally to cross its own southern border and the resulting flow of these illegal aliens north to illegally enter our country.

Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R, SD):

Congress is going to want to probably be heard from.

If Congress wants to be heard from, it should get serious about immigration, beginning with immigration legislation, that beginning with something akin to Trump’s offer of a year or so ago that offered a path to legalization for DACA beneficiaries plus a million more who were similarly situated.  Along with the means to better physically secure our own southern border.