To the editor:
Donald Trump was the wrong choice for president, and his policies are unfit to address inflation. Many claim voters supported him because they believed he would reduce the high prices caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent surge in relief spending that accelerated inflation.
Trump campaigned on imposing a 10% tariff on all imports, with an extreme 100% tariff on Chinese products. Economists agree this approach would drive up consumer prices, as domestic companies reliant on foreign goods would pass the increased costs to consumers. Experts widely view this tariff policy as a flawed solution to an inflation problem that had been gradually improving under the Biden administration.
The economy would also suffer under Trump’s plan to deport all undocumented immigrants. As of 2016, undocumented immigrants made up about 50% of all U.S. agricultural workers, including those in slaughterhouses, egg production, milk production, and crop harvesting. Without that labor force, farms could struggle to harvest crops before they rot, particularly those with narrow harvesting windows. U.S. citizens are unlikely to fill these positions, given historically low unemployment and the hazardous, low-paying nature of the work. If food prices rise due to deportations or fear-driven worker shortages, Trump’s administration will lose its usual scapegoat for inflation.
These policies would likely worsen inflation, not alleviate it. Voters must hold Trump and Republicans accountable for their economic proposals.
Sincerely,
Alex DePalma
Quality Control Analyst and Lynnfield Resident
