“Unfortunately, the poll also suggests that Americans\u2014just like their elected officials\u2014may be a bit confused on the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seventy-five percent of respondents indicated being “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” “about rising prices of things you buy because of trade tariffs.” But a majority would also support imposing tariffs on certain products, under certain conditions, if they felt it would help American businesses. For example, 62 percent said they would support “adding a tariff to blue jeans sold in the US that are manufactured in other countries to boost production and jobs in the American blue jean industry”\u2014though, notably, 66 percent would oppose a tariff if it raised the price of a pair of jeans by $10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Further, when asked, “From what you’ve read and heard, who primarily is responsible for paying for the cost of a U.S. tariff,” only 47 percent answered that it was American consumers. The next highest answer was “Not sure” at 20 percent, followed by 15 percent who said the U.S. government pays, 12 percent who said foreign companies pay, and 5 percent who said foreign governments pay the tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite Trump’s claims<\/a> that exporting countries pay tariffs, it is indeed consumers<\/a> who pay in the form of higher prices. On the campaign trail in 2019, Biden claimed<\/a>\u2014accurately\u2014that “Trump doesn’t get the basics. He thinks his tariffs are being paid by China. Any freshman econ student could tell you that the American people are paying his tariffs.” And yet as recently as last month<\/a>, Biden was proposing 25 percent tariffs on imports from Mexico that use Chinese steel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While not entirely consistent on the subject, the survey suggests that Americans largely recognize the positive effects of international free trade. It’s a shame, then, that our politicians don’t.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n