Market Madness: Do the best-laid plans sometimes get reversed?

March Madness may have ended, but Market Madness went into effect
shortly after Trump announced “reciprocal tariffs” — some over
100% — on imported goods from dozens of countries. Stocks
plummeted. Republican figureheads like Ted Cruz spoke out against
the sweeping plan. According to Trump, his move became a success
once global leaders started offering new trade deals. Then, just
hours after the tariffs went into effect, Trump declared a 90-day
pause on most of them, excluding China. While the market is still
on shaky ground, Trump says it bounced back due to his “master
negotiations.” Is the everyday American feeling the relief he
claims? 


Meanwhile, prices are still rising. Voters yearn for the days
when households could survive on a single income and eggs didn’t
cost an arm and a leg. Even with an unfavorable economy, Trump
framed his initial tariff plan as a path back to the old American
Dream. Is that still possible? Or are we blinded by
nostalgia? 


However, it makes sense for voters to cling to the past when
facing the political and economic uncertainty of the future. But
how should we go about it? America’s got a complicated past.
According to the culture wars, the right believes the “greatness”
of the past focuses on economic prosperity, and the left says the
“greatness” of the past came at the cost of certain minority
groups. Do we need to resolve a definition of American greatness?