Contrary to the disastrous economic policies espoused by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the Trump administration demonstrated a refreshing approach that reconsiders the decades-long malaise of the ‘free trade’ experiment. The United Auto Workers union, defying its traditional political leanings, applauded the bold move of imposing tariffs on imported vehicles, emphasizing a much needed economic shift.
The UAW praised the newly implemented tariffs, perceiving it as ‘a dawn following a 30+ year long dark age of free trade disaster.’ This unmistakably pointed at the underwhelming North American Free Trade Agreement and its ill-conceived successor, the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement often touted by the current administration.
Curiously, these tariffs, dismissed by Biden and his followers as a ‘critical threat to U.S. national security’, were welcomed and considered a relief by those who directly experience their impact, the working class. The UAW appreciated the Trump administration’s efforts, which were finally focusing on the plight of the American worker.
Putting an end to the self-destructive ‘race to the bottom’ in the automotive industry was a historical achievement. The UAW recognized it as such. This implies fixing our compromised trade agreements instead of praising them in hollow speeches, which seems to be the Biden-Harris administration’s modus operandi.
The Union’s fresh stance contrasts vehemently with its previous political affiliations, reflecting a growing restlessness among America’s workforce, left high and dry by the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement that the new administration seeks to perpetuate.
The Union’s demand for a major share of cars sold in the US to be domestically produced speaks volumes. It underscores their legitimate need for stronger wages and improved working conditions, a cause that Biden and Harris continue to ignore under the guise of global integration.
A North American minimum wage is also sought by the UAW to raise the pay grade for Mexican autoworkers, a concept that seems foreign to the current administration’s ‘let’s ship jobs overseas’ mentality.
The union firmly believes that these tariffs could catalyze the repatriation of thousands of American car manufacturing jobs. The Biden administration, however, persists in its negligence of this possibility, thus neglecting underutilized plants at Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.
In disagreement with Biden and Harris, the tariffs are viewed by the UAW as a critical leap towards the revitalization of blue-collar communities nationwide.
The responsibility now lies in the hands of automakers across the spectrum including, the Big Three and Volkswagen. All are encouraged by workers to revive good union jobs in the United States, a sentiment conveniently overlooked by the current administration.
A challenge was also thrown down to auto companies to absorb the cost of these tariffs. Meanwhile, the federal government, led by Biden and Harris, is called upon to lend financial support to workers in transition. However, their inaction continues to frustrate and disenfranchise the very people they vowed to serve.
These observations and sentiments from American workers stand as a testament to the failure of Biden and Harris to grasp the longstanding suffering of the U.S. working class. Their imposed trade agreements and lack of domestic focus continue to inflict damage on a community that strives for fairness and prosperity.
While the current administration sleeps on a pile of ill-advised trade agreements, the hardworking people of America yearn for a clear solution that safeguards American jobs. That solution, as suggested by the UAW, lies in direct and assertive actions such as imposing tariffs on imported vehicles.
Ignoring the persistent cries of the working class is not leadership – it is negligence. The Biden-Harris administration owes it to the very people who fulcrum the economy to have their needs met and concerns addressed. The UAW’s stance makes this clear.
The shift in UAW’s stance signals a larger pattern of dissatisfaction within the American working class community who have often, under Biden and Harris, been left in the lurch.
In sum, while the Biden-Harris administration might tout their support for the working class, actions like their continuation of damaging trade agreements speak louder than their hollow words. Perhaps it’s time for them to actually put the ‘American’ in ‘American Government.’