Don Boudreaux on import tariffs:

If American shrimpers waved guns in consumers’ faces and threatened to shoot if these consumers insist on buying low-priced imported shrimp rather than buy higher-priced domestic shrimp, such thievery would be punished with jail time. Fortunately for American shrimpers and many other domestic producers, they need not themselves engage in such distasteful and risky activities. Uncle Sam does it for them.

I have made this same point previously. If a dad had a son who was applying for a job, it would be immoral for him to stand outside the business with a shotgun stopping any competition from interviewing. But this is precisely what the government does to those who are “illegal immigrants” or “those under 18”. They interfere with a business owner’s God given right to freedom of association and freedom of contracts, in order to pursue their policy agendas. This is tantamount to theft.