Republicans As Moral Scolds

VARNEY: So we don't want cheap Chinese goods anymore? Consumers are not gonna be happy about that

REP. RILEY MOORE: We have communities and families with children and dreams and aspirations for those children, and we're no longer going to barter their future for cheap goods made… pic.twitter.com/YIFgAIrpZs

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 4, 2025

But we will barter them for political power. Eyes on the prize.

Sen. Sheehy on tariffs: "It's certainly going to have a negative impact shortly ... [but] we have to be able to be self-sufficient." pic.twitter.com/bftwhj2PXA

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 4, 2025

American secular morality is rooted in self-sufficiency. 

Idiocy.

If you “bring home” jobs that pay $250-$500 per month in Cambodia or Vietnam, no one is going to pay Americans 10 to 30 times as much to do those (mostly miserable) jobs. So how are they going to be good paying jobs? And how is what they make going to be affordable? https://t.co/GZPc60Fycp

— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) April 5, 2025

I’m waiting for the argument that we really don’t need that many clothes (objectively true: we are awash in clothes and even more so in castoff clothing), so we should move clothing manufacturing to America and consumers should just pay for it. And then when most of them can’t, they should just learn to wear rags. 

MacCALLUM: Will American workers make shirts and garments for the same--? Obviously the labor costs are so much cheaper overseas in those places

CHAVEZ-DeREMER: We're gonna onshore, repatriate some of these companies to invest in America directly so that we can build that… pic.twitter.com/alxcJsdF97

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 4, 2025

“Workforce.” One that will work for a pittance once we repeal the labor and minimum wage laws.  Poverty frees you from earthly temptations anyway.

It doesn’t sound like we are getting the Golden Era on Day 1 like we were promised pic.twitter.com/RETHLTKwr4

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 5, 2025

See? It’s coming. Right after they tell us money doesn’t really matter.

The MAGA propagandists are circling the wagons. Who cares about money! pic.twitter.com/cOW47SUE53

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 4, 2025

Because secular morality is largely just a system of control.

NEWSMAX: Democrats and the media are attempting to scare American workers with Trump's bold tariffs. What is your message to them?

CHAVEZ-DeREMER: Listen, we're just getting started. This is President Trump's vision for the country ... I couldn't be more honored to be his labor… pic.twitter.com/yA4rqGF1FX

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 4, 2025

It isn’t concerned with Tolstoy’s question (the true question of morality): “How should we then live?” American secular morality asks the question: “Who’s in charge?”

It took under 100 days for "I'll lower prices on day one" to become "who needs money or a 401k when your heart is full of love for Dear Leader Trump"

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 5, 2025