Interesting testimony dropped recently at the Ways and Means Committee hearing. An economist made a pretty straightforward argument: if you really want American businesses and workers to stay competitive globally, the most direct move? Roll back those tariffs put in place during the Trump era.

No complicated policy gymnastics. Just remove the tariffs. That's the pitch.

The logic here is simple but worth noting. Trade barriers like tariffs can shield domestic industries short-term, sure. But they also raise costs for businesses that rely on imported materials and components. Higher input costs mean less competitive pricing. Less competitive pricing means losing ground internationally.

For workers, the equation gets messier. Protected industries might preserve some jobs temporarily, but if those companies can't compete on price or innovation because they're paying inflated costs for supplies, long-term employment prospects look shakier.

The testimony framed it as a competitiveness issue first, not an ideological trade stance. When you're competing with companies in markets that have lower input costs, every percentage point matters. Tariffs add friction. Removing them removes friction.

Whether policymakers actually act on this kind of recommendation is another story entirely. But the argument on the table is clear: ditch the tariffs, boost competitiveness.