The “illusion of cheap” point is one of the sharpest lines in the piece. It gets to the core of why this isn’t just about economics. It’s about values embedded in price tags.

What stood out to me is how often we confuse trade liberalism with moral neutrality. But systems aren’t neutral if they reward the externalization of harm. That’s not free trade. It’s subsidized abuse by another name.

If tariffs are the tool to rebalance incentives, how do we make sure they support national resilience without calcifying inefficiency or entrenching bad actors at home? Because protectionism alone won’t rebuild a healthy industrial base; it just buys us time to do the hard work. Are we using that time well?