On Monday, the Civil Discourse Initiative (“CDI”) hosted an event titled ‘Tariff-ic? or Tariff-ying,’ which featured a panel-style debate among three UVA undergraduates. Panelists Natasha Swindle, Ritvik Thakur, and Blake Boudreaux disagreed on the merits of the incoming tariff policy from the Trump administration.
CDI is a CIO founded by fourth-year Jack Siegel that promotes debate and discussion among various viewpoints, or in Jack’s words, combats “instincts against listening.” This event was no different, with Swindle and Thakur, both Economics Club members, warning against tariffs and Boudreaux, President of UVA College Republicans, championing pro-tariff sentiment.
The tariff theme is incredibly timely. Just five days before the debate, President Donald Trump unveiled his plan for “reciprocal tariffs” placed on more than 180 countries and territories. In addition to these tariffs, the Trump administration announced a 10% baseline tariff on all countries regardless of trade deficit—leaving much policy to discuss.
Siegel began by asking what each of the three thought about tariffs as a tool for trade policy. Boudreaux argued that free trade is bad for the United States because it allows exploitation from other countries, creating massive US trade deficits and moving the manufacturing industry abroad. At the same time, Thakur claimed that the “United States needs to be a beacon of free trade” to enable all countries involved in trade to benefit from specialization, while Swindle pointed out that domestic retailers will not bear the burden of taxes themselves and will likely pass through these costs to consumers.
Although each camp, pro- and anti-tariff, disagreed on the best way to achieve economic prosperity for the United States, the discussion remained respectful. Panelists found common ground in their desire to limit uncertainty as the country rolls out new international trade legislation by maintaining a consistent and stable approach. Such peaceful discourse emulated the principles of CDI to break barriers in dialogue, fostering peaceful and insightful discussions.
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