Rethinking Trade with Lori Wallach

In this episode of Rethinking Trade: Did the dangerous de minimis trade loophole finally get closed for goods from China on May 2? Woohoo – tariff-dodging is now forbidden. But the Trump administration’s wavier of a longstanding customs enforcement rule might make the change harder to enforce.    Lori will explain what it means for the import inspectionsneeded to catch fentanyl-laced fake pills and why we now need the administration to publish importer requirements and close down the loophole for imports from other countries.

Lori Wallach breaks down the confusion, the consequences, and what’s coming next on the Trump administration's actions on China, the 90-day pause, and more.

Confused about the tariffs that just went into effect? It's hard not to be, given how they are being discussed in the media. But before we all conclude the sky is falling, please listen to the latest episode of our Rethinking Trade podcast. (And yes, we’re back from hiatus!) Lori covers just what we need to know about the 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, the additional 20% tariffs onChina, and Trump’s reversal on allowing de minimis shipments from China, Mexico and Canada to evade these very tariffs as well as inspection. And she explains how all of this could impact you... even as things keep changing.

This new episode of the Rethinking Trade podcast is a little different. It’s about tariffs, an issue that’s critical to get smart about now… At a recent live panel with Congressmembers Debbie Dingell (D-Mich) and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) and our labor friends, Lori led a discussion about why much of the conventional wisdom on tariffs is wrong.   Like, if you are for enforceable labor standards in trade agreements or climate Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms, you are FOR tariffs.   And tariffs do NOT necessarily increase consumer prices. But price-gouging corporations like to use tariffs as an excuse to raise prices. And, yup, that story you hear over and over on tariff raising washing machine prices is wrong.

This new Rethinking Trade podcast episode is not a break from election anxiety, but can help explain the current situation…     Lori talks with Dan Kaufman about his recent New York Times Magazine story, "How NAFTA Broke American Politics." It examines the long-lasting impacts of the trade agreement on U.S. communities and politics nationwide.    Lori and Dan do a deep dive into Kaufman’s recent October article. Listen now for conversation about the human and political cost of NAFTA, particularly in Wisconsin, and the broader impact on American workers and our politics.    Dan Kaufman is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine and author of the acclaimed book The Fall of Wisconsin [https://www.thefallofwisconsin.com/] about the labor revolution spurred by ring attacks on union rights there.