Question of the week: Will Trump's tariffs benefit the country in the long run?
The first 100 days of President Donald Trump's second term in office have been tumultuous to say the least with his emphasis on slashing federal government spending and raising tariffs on imports from other countries.
The economic result thus far has not been great. The stock market has suffered losses snd this week it was announced that the economy output is shrinking. There has been speculation regarding a recession or an extended period of economic uncertainty.
The president has defended the tariffs saying they will result in more manufacturing taking place in the U.S. as well as favorable new trade deals with other countries.
'Everything's going to be just fine. It wouldn't have been if I didn't do this," the president said this week.
That brings us to the Question of the Week.
You can simply cast your votes on the ballots above.
You can scan the QR code that is on the print edition page or go to https://www.floridatoday.com/opinions-columns/.
Please leave a comment telling us why you voted the way you did. In order for your comment or email to be published on our website and in next week's print edition, you must include your first and last name.
You can also shoot me an email with "tariffs" in the subject line. I look forward to reading your responses.
Last Sunday, I asked if you thought the Catholic Church College of Cardinals should elect another progressive pope like Francis or go with a more conservative choice.
Results:
Progressive: 59.59 percent
Conservative: 36.99 percent
I don't care | It doesn't matter to me: 3.42 percent
Here is what you had to say:
Pope Francis led the Catholic Church with a subtle power, a quiet strength that manifested itself in gentle words and bold yet necessary actions. Intended to leave no one outside the grace of god and the faith of our fathers, his edicts were inclusive and thoughtful and humanely important. Our future existence shall remain shrouded in Pope Francis's spiritual aura, as we are reminded of how much better it will feel to live without bias encumbrance and meaningless exclusivity.
So, 'should church select another progressive pope?' The answer may not be as easy as one would think. Therefore, a simple yes will suffice.
-- Wallace Wildenradt
I look forward to the new Pope following the lead of Pope Francis by allowing women to become members of the Catholic priesthood, allowing priests to marry and accepting homosexual marriage. Probably won't happen easily but I am hopeful.
-- Lynne Cario
I believe The Golden Rule says it all.
-- Jeannine Flynn
The whole world needs more love not less. Choose love from your heart where Jesus lives and not the thoughts from your head where Satan lives. This Pope was simple and loving. Don't complicate matters of the heart.
-- Karen Naberhaus
Contact Torres at jtorres@floridatoday.com. You can follow him on X @johnalbertorres or on Facebook at facebook.com/FTjohntorres.
Support local journalism and become a subscriber. Visit floridatoday.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Will the Trump tariffs pay off in the long run?
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YouTube, 27 Oct. 2024, Accessed 15 Nov. 2024. X. Accessed 6 June 2025. Clarke, Amelia. "Yes, Musk Said He'd Ask Trump about $5K Checks for US Taxpayers Funded by DOGE Savings." Snopes, 21 Feb. 2025, Czopek, Madison, and Amy Sherman. "Trump and Musk Public Bickering Raises More DOGE Uncertainty." @Politifact, 5 June 2025, Accessed 6 June 2025. DOGE. "DOGE: Department of Government Efficiency." DOGE: Department of Government Efficiency, 2025, Accessed 6 June 2025. McCullough, Caleb. "Where Do DOGE's Reported Savings Come From?" @Politifact, 21 Feb. 2025, Fahrenthold, David A, and Jeremy Singer-Vine. "DOGE Is Far Short of Its Goal, and Still Overstating Its Progress." The New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025, Accessed 6 June 2025.
