Reagan put tariffs on Harley Davidsons and steel in the 1980s.
These gave HD a little breathing room to restructure which helped them to bounce back (for maybe 30 years), but couldn't cure the natural limits of selling a nonessential vehicle for over $20k to middle-aged men who bought a hog only to fulfill their bucket list.
But Steel didn't benefit as much as HD, since the economics of pivoting giant ossified corporations like USX take decades -- especially when hampered by old men in gray flannel suits and self-destructive unions that had no idea how unsupportable their benefits already were.
The question remains whether tariffs really accomplish anything lasting, other than attract votes in the short term, for re-election.
These gave HD a little breathing room to restructure which helped them to bounce back (for maybe 30 years), but couldn't cure the natural limits of selling a nonessential vehicle for over $20k to middle-aged men who bought a hog only to fulfill their bucket list.
But Steel didn't benefit as much as HD, since the economics of pivoting giant ossified corporations like USX take decades -- especially when hampered by old men in gray flannel suits and self-destructive unions that had no idea how unsupportable their benefits already were.
The question remains whether tariffs really accomplish anything lasting, other than attract votes in the short term, for re-election.