Letter to the Editor: Tariffs aren’t the job creator people think they are 

To the Editor:

There’s a common belief that tariffs on Chinese goods will magically bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. — but that’s a serious misunderstanding of how global supply chains and business logistics actually work. 

Imposing high tariffs doesn’t just flip a switch that brings factories back to American soil. It’s not that simple. U.S. companies can’t just pack up and move production stateside overnight. There’s an overwhelming amount of red tape, regulatory hurdles, infrastructure costs, and labor expenses that make that transition nearly impossible in the short term — and often economically unfeasible in the long term. 

What these tariffs do create is price increases. That’s it. Most “Made in America” products still rely heavily on Chinese parts — often 90% or more of the materials and components come from overseas. When the cost of those imports goes up, companies have two options: raise prices or cut costs somewhere else — which often means layoffs. 

This isn’t a win for American workers. It’s a blow to small and mid-sized businesses who rely on Chinese imports to stay competitive. They can’t just switch to American-made components — not only because of cost, but because U.S. suppliers often don’t exist in the volume or specialization needed. So instead, some of these businesses will shut their doors entirely. And that means fewer jobs, not more. 

If we really care about creating jobs, the solution isn’t protectionist tariffs — it’s investing in domestic infrastructure, easing the path to manufacturing here, and building a sustainable economic ecosystem that makes America an attractive place to produce goods. Tariffs just put a Band-Aid on a broken leg — and hope no one notices the limp. 

Andrew George 
Three Rivers

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Any views or opinions expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Watershed Voice staff or its board of directors