reSee.it - Related Video Feed

Tariffs were once a significant source of revenue for the U.S., but in the early 1900s, the country shifted to an income tax due to pressure from other nations. A commission was formed in 1887 to address the surplus wealth generated from tariffs on foreign goods. The U.S. thrived by taxing imports, which protected American jobs. China, for example, allows foreign companies to build factories there, leading to a different economic dynamic. Elon Musk is mentioned as a notable figure who has successfully navigated these challenges, particularly with his ventures in the automotive and space industries.

At the start of the 20th century, America was the richest country. We used tariffs to defend our workers from unfair trade policies and had no income tax. Foreign companies paid to sell to America. Now, we have the Internal Revenue Service, charging us internally. Politicians who can't manage money keep taking more from us. Donald Trump plans to fix this by creating the External Revenue Service. Foreign companies will pay to sell to the U.S. If they want to compete with American workers, we shouldn't tax our own people. This will ensure that no bureaucrat will cut your benefits.

Do it. The tariffs are said to be bringing in a lot of additional revenue, which, the speaker states, is being used to give tax relief to the American people and make it easier for average Americans to get by. So

The speaker believes tariffs should be placed on goods the U.S. makes, not on goods it doesn't, and sees them as a bargaining chip. They claim that Europe and Japan have 100% tariffs on American cars, preventing Ford and GM sales. The speaker suggests the U.S. should reciprocate to force negotiation and lower tariffs, allowing American companies to compete. While broad statements are necessary when running for office, tariffs are an amazing tool to protect the American worker. The speaker believes tariffs will either generate revenue or drive up domestic productivity, ideally both. The speaker references the Marshall Plan, where the U.S. allowed Germany and Japan to tariff American goods to rebuild their economies after World War II. They question why this arrangement persists decades later, with Europe and Japan still heavily tariffing U.S. industries like auto and furniture. The speaker attributes foreign-made furniture purchases to this tariff imbalance.

The speaker discusses how the federal income tax negatively impacted Americans by shifting the government's revenue source from tariffs to taxing individuals. They argue that tariffs on international corporations would be a better revenue source, promoting American manufacturing and job growth. The speaker highlights the historical importance of tariffs and criticizes the impact of the income tax on American prosperity. They emphasize the need to educate future generations on these issues.

"Tariffs are vital to the success of this country." "They could possibly replace federal income tax." "From 1850 to 1913, in the 1887, it's about 1887, they had the Great National Tariff Act." "And then in 1929, you had the depression." "They ended them in 1913. How did that work out? And then we went to the income tax." "I settled seven different wars. One going thirty one years, one go look at the Congo and Rwanda." "Thirty one years, ten million people dead. I got it settled." "We have trillions of dollars coming into our country." "If we didn't have tariffs, we would be a very poor nation, and we would be taken advantage of by every other nation in the world."

Tariffs on foreign imports may first appear patriotic—protecting American products and jobs—and sometimes they work for a short time. But what eventually occurs is that first homegrown industries start relying on government protection in the form of high tariffs. They stop competing and stop making the innovative management and technological changes they need to succeed in world markets. And while all this is going on, something even worse occurs. High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. The result is more and more tariffs, higher and higher trade barriers, and less and less competition. So soon, because of the prices made artificially high by tariffs that subsidize inefficiency and poor management, people stop buying. Then the worst happens. Markets shrink and collapse, businesses and industries shut down, and millions of people lose their jobs. The memory of all this occurring back in the thirties made me determined when I came to Washington to spare the American people the protectionist legislation that destroys prosperity. Now it hasn't always been easy. There are those in the Congress, just as there were back in the thirties, who want to go for the quick political advantage, who risk America's prosperity for the sake of a short term appeal to some special interest group, who forget that more than 5,000,000 American jobs are directly tied to the foreign export business and additional millions are tied to imports.

In the early 1900s, the U.S. shifted from tariffs to an income tax due to pressure from other countries. Politicians were influenced by these nations, which affected economic decisions. A commission was formed in 1887 to address the surplus wealth from tariffs on foreign goods. The U.S. thrived by taxing imports, which protected American jobs. This situation mirrors China's approach, where foreign companies can operate if they build factories there, unlike the restrictions on U.S. cars. Elon Musk exemplifies this dynamic, successfully establishing operations in China, showcasing the complexities of international trade and investment.

Trump instinctively understood that outsourcing everything was a mistake. Globalist elites believed in making things wherever it was most efficient, but they forgot that losing manufacturing means losing leverage. If we don't make things in America, we're vulnerable. It's easy to complain about tariffs, but what's the cost of allowing a dictator to destroy our economy overnight? Xi could cripple us by cutting off access and nationalizing industries. Nobody is talking about how easily Xi could destroy companies like Apple and millions of jobs with a stroke of a pen. I'm now pro-tariffs until we get our act together. We transformed into a manufacturing powerhouse during World War II in just two years; we can do it again. We also need to train a new generation in manufacturing. We should bring back defector visas, targeting critical people in hostile countries like China, offering them jobs here to weaken our adversaries.

At the turn of the century, around 1900, America's economy was booming with no income tax, only tariffs. We had so much money, the greatest businessmen gathered to figure out how to spend it. After World War I and II, we felt obligated to rebuild the world, so we lowered our protections and tariffs, taxing Americans to export our economic power. When should that have ended? The eighties, nineties, or 2000s? We're letting the world take advantage of us, and it's time to make America great again. Getting rid of tariffs was sold as helping the earth, but middlemen just wanted a cut. We have delivered victory against the globalists, but their systems are still attacking us. Support us at RealAlexJones.com to keep us on the air regardless of what happens to InfoWars. History is happening now, and we need your support to complete our victory against the globalists.

One speaker believes cutting corporate taxes overwhelmingly benefits the wealthy because capital income represents a huge amount of their income. Another speaker argues corporations provide jobs and pay taxes that fund government jobs. The first speaker asks where the government gets the money to pay its employees, and the second speaker answers, "Revenue from both households and corporations," further stating that trickle-down economics has not worked for the past 50 years. Michael Faulkinder believes tariffs are an important tool to address practices like currency manipulation and intellectual property theft, particularly by China, and to bring them to the table to negotiate trade inequities. He anticipates tariffs would incentivize moving supply chains to more resilient locations.

The president promising the new tariffs will help make America richer than ever. We have a country that is, gonna be very rich. It's, a country that we're very proud of, but it's gonna be very rich. And money is coming in. Last Last month, the treasury department saying it's collected nearly $30,000,000,000 from tariffs, a 242% increase from last July. That's money paid by American companies that import the goods. The White House also sees tariffs as a key tool to bring back American manufacturing. We wanna get rid of these big deficits that we have with countries that have created these big surpluses and they, gutted gutted our manufacturing base base Right. And have been terrible for American workers.

The White House is pursuing both long-term tariff revenue and trade deals. The administration has 18 important trading relationships and will be speaking to those partners. President Trump believes tariff revenue could provide income tax relief, potentially in the upcoming tax bill. He campaigned on no tax on tips, Social Security, and overtime, while restoring interest deductibility for American-made autos. Tariff income could be used for tax relief on those items. The speaker believes tariffs will bring back American manufacturing and generate substantial revenues, suggesting a significant role for tariff revenue in US fiscal policy.

Trump proposes replacing the income tax, which costs Americans $2.4 trillion annually, with tariffs: 20% on most countries and 60% on China. This could generate around $900 billion yearly, potentially boosting the economy by 20% and providing an extra $30,000 in income for the average American family. This shift could lead to a doubling of annual economic growth, making 5% growth the new standard. If successful, families could see significant financial benefits, enhancing wealth for future generations. If voters support this plan, Congress is likely to follow suit, benefiting middle and lower-class Americans. Voting for Trump could restore the economic opportunities of the past.

We often hear the slogan "make America great again," but what does it really mean? It's important to consider when America was considered great. Looking back to the turn of the century, around 125 years ago, the economy was thriving. At that time, there was no income tax, and the government relied solely on tariffs.

Tariffs are a key part of economic independence and were the main source of US government revenue before 1913, allowing the country to fund itself without income tax. Tariffs protect American workers and industries from being undercut by lower-cost foreign goods, allowing American businesses to compete. Levying tariffs maintains jobs and encourages domestic production, which is crucial for national security and prosperity. Tariffs help the U.S. negotiate better trade deals by pushing other countries to lower their trade barriers. Globalists, corrupt politicians, and crooked elites oppose tariffs because they benefit from cheap labor and lax regulations abroad. Tariffs value American workers, consumers, and the nation. The U.S. needs tariffs, not taxes, to put America first and begin a new golden age.

Tariffs are a crucial bargaining tool in international trade, particularly for American auto manufacturers like Ford and GM, which face 100% tariffs in Europe and Japan. If the U.S. imposes similar tariffs, it will prompt negotiations, leading to reduced tariffs abroad and allowing American companies to compete. The focus should be on protecting American workers and promoting domestic production. While tariffs can generate revenue, their primary purpose is to create fair competition. Historically, the Marshall Plan allowed countries like Germany and Japan to rebuild their economies without facing U.S. tariffs. However, after decades, it's time to reassess why these countries still impose high tariffs on American goods while the U.S. remains open to their markets.

Of course big business and Wall Street hate Trump's tariffs; they've been decimating American manufacturing for decades. These tariffs are helping to reverse that trend. We've seen companies like Milwaukee Tool, which sounds American but is owned by the Chinese Communist Party, compete against American companies. That's why we need tariffs to protect companies that actually want to manufacture in the United States. Don't believe the lies you read; polls show Americans overwhelmingly support tariffs.

The transcript centers on a retrospective beginning with a Casablanca exchange at the end of World War II, where Roosevelt told Churchill that the war wasn’t fought to reestablish British eighteenth-century methods, and Churchill asked what Roosevelt meant. Roosevelt answered with a definition of a system that takes more out of a country than it puts back in. Roosevelt died before the war ended, and the result, as described, was the triumph of British eighteenth-century methods or a system that takes more out than it puts in. The speaker then argues that since World War II, the United States has deteriorated: manufacturing employment fell from 31% of the population in 1950 to 8% today, and when including other goods-producing sectors (agriculture, mining, transportation), the share dropped from 55% to less than 20%. The speaker contends that good-paying jobs, industry, infrastructure, and family farms disappeared, and economic sovereignty was stripped by “British eighteenth-century methods of financialization and free trade,” leading to imports of food and “cheap crap” and an exploding trade deficit. The claim is made that Donald Trump is reversing this trend, with tariffs described as a powerful weapon that the global elites hate, and that they are working to rebuild the U.S. manufacturing base and economic independence. Support for this claim includes concrete numbers: in November, 136 new factories were started, along with 78 processing plants and 199 new warehouses. The narrative emphasizes that, beyond physical growth, there is a reawakening of a productive spirit among the population, especially the youth. An example is given from blue Massachusetts, where young people respond to opportunities in vocational training and productive jobs instead of pursuing liberal arts degrees with heavy debt. The speaker also highlights the Trump administration’s broader vision, including a merger between Trump’s Truth Social and TAE Technologies, described as signaling a revolutionary development: cheap, clean, limitless fusion power that could drive the economy forward and propel humanity into the solar system. The broader strategic claim is that, on the eve of 2026—the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of American independence—there is an unprecedented opportunity. Trump is described as dismantling the postwar imperial system, ending perpetual wars, rebuilding American manufacturing, and treating nations as sovereign partners rather than pawns on a chessboard. However, the British establishment is portrayed as resisting this transformation, intending to turn back the clock by leveraging assets in Congress, the media, and intelligence agencies to create chaos and turn Trump supporters against one another. The speaker urges listeners not to fall for it and to keep their eye on the strategic picture.

The speaker discusses tariffs and questions their logic, arguing that tariffs are supposed to replace the income tax, but pointing to a pie chart that shows income tax and social security as the large portions, with a small line at the top representing proposed tariffs, and asks how tariffs could replace the income tax unless the system is off the charts and business becomes untenable. The speaker asserts that a recent development shows significant harm to farmers under the tariff regime, noting that Trump plans a $14,000,000,000 bailout for farmers because the tariffs are hurting their income. This is presented as part of the broader argument that tariffs have negative effects on agricultural interests. Turning to historical context, the speaker references the 1893 McKinley tariffs, which Trump allegedly quotes, and claims that such tariffs would lead to an economic depression and an agricultural depression, suggesting a cyclical or predictable downturn as a consequence of protectionist policy. The speaker then recommends reading Secrets of the Federal Reserve by Eustace Mullins, asserting a strong critical stance toward taxation. It is stated that no tax has ever helped the people, that all sides have implemented taxes, and that bankers have “screwed the people.” The speaker emphasizes the importance of being aware of these dynamics, linking taxation to a broader critique of financial and political systems.

Tariffs are presented as vital for economic independence, having historically served as the primary revenue source for the U.S. government before income tax. They are said to protect American workers and industries from unfair foreign competition by ensuring domestic businesses can compete and thrive. Tariffs are claimed to maintain jobs, encourage domestic production, bolster national security and prosperity, and improve trade deal negotiations. Those who oppose tariffs are characterized as globalists, corrupt politicians, and elites who exploit cheap labor and foreign regulations. The speaker advocates for tariffs to value American workers, consumers, and the nation, keep jobs in America, and protect the economy. The conclusion is a call for tariffs over taxes to put America first and usher in a new golden age.

I have paid tariffs. Revenues will stay here, and wages will increase. Our country will become wealthy again. I find it insulting that you are testing my economic knowledge and questioning the president's decisions. I regret giving the Associated Press a question. Mary, you can go ahead.

The speaker claims that America was once rich due to tariffs, which taxed other countries for taking American jobs, similar to China's current policies. They state that in the 1880s, a commission was formed to decide what to do with the excess money generated from tariffs. The speaker asserts that America switched to an income tax system in the early 1900s because other countries pressured America to stop using tariffs, implying these countries controlled American politicians. They contrast this with China's policy of requiring companies to build factories there to sell cars, referencing Elon Musk as an example and praising him.

The president wants to impose tariffs on foreign importers to bring investment and jobs back to the U.S. Businesses can avoid tariffs by building and investing more in America and raising wages for American workers. The administration aims to lower inflation, ensure government services, and force businesses to invest in American workers. Inducing businesses to invest in American workers and reshoring supply chains will strengthen the economy long-term. The COVID crisis showed the U.S. can't rely on China for critical supplies. The president is changing a bipartisan consensus that has harmed American workers. Investing in the U.S. will be rewarded with lower taxes, regulations, and energy costs. The European Union has been tough on American workers by imposing tariffs. The president is defending the American worker and fighting back against unfairness. The U.S. has a $1 trillion trade deficit and will no longer allow Americans to go into debt to buy foreign-made goods.