Government income needs to equal or exceed government spending. We've all agreed on that (the Balanced Budget) is kind of a 'holy grail', and as elusive as The Ark of the Covenant.
Newt Gingrich was the last to put one on the desk.
Which means we have to reduce out flow, especially waste and corruption (DOGE)...
...and, unfortunately, we will either have to cut some services or increase revenue.
There are a lot of 'services' that should not exist. Plenty of fat to trim without affecting longstanding programs for legitimate beneficiaries, and a lot of 'beneficiaries' who do not exist or who should not be receiving benefits (fraud and waste, IOW).
And balance all that with having a more effective military, building more Navy, and replenishing arms stockpiles.
The money has to come from somewhere.
Tariffs are a legitimate lever to bring industry back home, especially when combined with getting rid of the most nonsensical environmental restrictions which make it harder to establish or run manufacturing businesses in the US. That will increase the domestic tax base, and help balance the budget while creating jobs here at home, from construction to operation and maintenance.
It is a long term solution, not just kicking the damn can down the road while we enrich our most likely adversary in any future conflict.
