http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/laura/tariff-toss-2025-s440.pngGoverning Like a Chef Who Doesn’t Know How to Cook

LAKE GENEVA, WI - Imagine a chef who doesn’t bother with recipes, measurements, or even basic kitchen safety. He just hurls spaghetti at the wall and watches to see what sticks. That’s Donald Trump’s idea of running the American economy—impulsive, chaotic, and absolutely disastrous for the people stuck eating whatever mess he makes.

Trump’s latest experiment? A sweeping wave of tariffs slapped on everything in sight. In true “spaghetti chef” fashion, he didn’t bother explaining the plan, the goal, or the possible consequences. He just threw it out there—10% on all imports, 34% on Chinese goods, 20% on the EU—and waited to see what stuck. The result? The stock market recoiled in horror. The Dow plunged over 1,300 points, the S&P dropped more than 3%, and investors panicked like someone just pulled the fire alarm in the kitchen.

This isn’t strategy. It’s not leadership. It’s reckless trial-and-error policymaking that punishes the very people Trump claims to protect. Every time he starts swinging tariffs around like a frying pan in a food fight, everyday Americans are the ones getting burned.

Let’s talk about China for a second. Americans rely on Chinese imports for everything from smartphones to sneakers to parts that keep American factories running. Slapping massive tariffs on those goods doesn’t punish China—it jacks up prices for U.S. consumers and businesses. It strangles supply chains. It sparks inflation. It costs jobs. It’s the economic equivalent of burning dinner and blaming the stove.

And while the stock market has stabilized slightly in the past few days, it’s not because things are getting better—it’s because the absolute worst-case scenarios have temporarily been taken off the burner. Investors aren’t breathing easy—they’re holding their breath, praying Trump doesn’t barge into the kitchen again with a can of gasoline.

Experts are sounding the alarm. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers is warning that these tariffs could push us into a recession, with 2 million jobs lost and a $5,000 hit to the average household. Vanguard just cut its economic outlook. Consumer confidence is rattled. Business investment is stalling. But Trump, ever the chef without a clue, just keeps tossing more spaghetti at the wall and calling it bold leadership.

This is not how you run a country. Governing isn’t a guessing game, and economic policy isn’t supposed to be a reality show where you improvise every episode. It takes planning, consistency, and responsibility—three things Trump has shown zero interest in. His erratic, shoot-from-the-hip style might make for dramatic headlines, but it leaves Americans footing the bill while he stirs the pot.

The sad truth is, we’re all stuck in this kitchen while Trump plays chef, tossing out half-baked ideas with no recipe, no direction, and no care for the mess he’s making. And if we let him keep running things like this, it won’t just be our dinner ruined—it’ll be the whole damn house up in flames.

Summary

Donald Trump is back in the economic kitchen—hurling tariffs like spaghetti at the wall and calling it leadership. But this kind of reckless trial-and-error policymaking isn’t bold, it’s destructive. With markets tanking, prices rising, and recession fears growing, Americans are left cleaning up the mess from a chef who clearly doesn’t follow recipes—or care about the consequences.