The following is a direct quote from a Wall Street Journal editorial page on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
“President Trump says his tariffs may raise enough revenue to replace the income tax, so who is he afraid to let Americans see what they’re paying? Instead of owning its policy, the White House has bullied Amazon to keep quiet about what it will cost.
“The spat started Tuesday morning when Punchbowl News reported that Amazon planned to show shoppers how much of their bill is owe to tariffs. Put a $140 vacuum cleaner in your cart, for example, and a little label might read “Tariff Cost: $55.” That idea is to let shoppers know that Washington, not Amazon, has raised their prices.
“Amazon denied approving the plan, saying it was only an idea. But the White House blasted the tariff-cost feature. “This is a hostile and political act by Amazon,” said press secretary Karoline Leavitt, noting that she was speaking for Mr. Trump. She said the company was parroting Chinese propaganda. Later in the day Mr. Trump said he had spoken with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who he said “solved the problem very quickly.’
“The public could have used Amazon’s price transparency. Tariffs are taxes, and it’s helpful to know how policy choices affect final prices. Some shoppers might say additional cost is wrth it t support Mr. Trump’s policy. But there’s no denying that they’re paying, and everyone is better off knowing how much.
“Ride-sharing platforms understand this dynamic. After each trip, riders get an itemized bill that shows how much of their fare went to tolls and political fees. So do hotels when they list local tax.
“Mr. Trump likes to say foreign exporters bear all the cost of tariffs, with none passed on to customers. Economists disagree, as in a 2020 study showng that final consumers bore the burden of Mr. Trump’s first-term tariffs.
“Ms Leavitt accused Amazon of playing politics selectively, asking why the company didn’t propose s similar feature to display the cost of President Biden’s inflation. She’s right that businesses might have protested more about the cost of progressive governance. But the comparison overlooks the unique simplicity of tariff costs. Like taxes, tariffs often add a precise dollar figure to a sticker price. Voters who pay little attention to the macro economy will notice a direct markup on items they buy.
“Consumers are already feeling the tariff pain, whether of not retailers quantify it on their web sites. White House denials won’t change that, but repeating the tariffs would.”
-Don Stott, don@coloradogold.com