On a cold Boston December night back in 1773, a group of patriots dressed as Native Americans boarded a British Merchant ship and tossed 342 boxes of tea into the harbor. Less remembered by history, a few weeks later a similar group of patriots boarded another ship in Philadelphia and once again tossed the valuable tea into the harbor.

The British government under King George III imposed this tea tax as a way to control the colony’s by taxing an important need of the colonists. Today we call that type of tax a tariff on imported goods, and Americans did not like it, nor did King George III who was not in his right mind, medically speaking. Following the raid, the colonists began to say they were being unfairly taxed without representation. Protests grew and the British continued their taxation along with harsh treatment of the colonists.

King George III who was the head of the British empire disliked the rebel colonies who were defining him at every turn in the road. In his demented mind he wanted to make it as difficult as possible for the colony’s. It is today known that King George was indeed suffering from some mind debilitating Illness. In the deluded state he believed taxes on tea were cruel and unusual punishment for the rebel colonies and he liked that impression.

In the world of 2025, the American President has decided to tax not only other countries, but every product that comes to our shores. Kind of like the Boston Tea Party in reverse, except King George taxed America, our leader is taxing the entire world.

Tariffs can be referred to by duty, customs or taxes. They have been used over the time of trading with other countries since 1789. The purpose is to allow imports, while protecting the same industries in our country. Success of tariffs has for the most part, had the desired effect, unless targeting specific goods. They can help to balance trade if used wisely. Major world economies need to be on a fair footing with America, but let’s face it, not all countries are equal.

President Ronald Regans’ White House negotiated NAFTA and it was adopted during President George Bushs’ term of office. President Bill Clinton stated it would create 200,000 jobs the first couple of years and one million in the next five. That’s when the sucking sound began. One other important voice that was there in the beginning, Senator Bernie Sanders stated it was no good for the American worker. Words he is still saying today. Maybe you should not have laughed at him after all.

Now before you start to believe free-trade agreements are bad for America, you first need to understand this. If it were my call when those free-trade agreements were being negotiated, I would have added an amendment to the agreement that takes into consideration that before trading begins, have business economists study American industry and evaluate which ones were likely to pull up stakes and leave from inside our borders. Applying control tariffs would not have stopped the sound completely, but would have helped American industries consider staying. But everybody was told it would greatly improve trade and bring many more products to store shelves which meant BIG MONEY, not for workers, but for big business.

Now, 30 years later politicians are pointing their finger toward the other party as the cause of job loss and heavy industry leaving. Maybe we should have listened to Bernie and elected him President.

Today with major economic issues looming before us, we have a President who wakes up each morning and throws a dart toward a board to see what he is going to stir up today. If this were the 1930s, people would be running on the banks and brokers jumping from the rooftops. Taxes and tariffs. If history has told us anything, don’t forget the lessons of yesterday. Just like the Boston Tea Party, news reports around the world are telling of country’s pouring out good Kentucky Whiskey, Corn is dozed into landfills. Thousands of American goods are now too expensive, and foreign citizens are rejecting them in protest.

I truly believe if a council of non-political economists and business majors would have sat down with the imbalances in trade and derived a fair approach to tariffs, it would have benefited everyone. In fact, I believe a group of WVU student business majors could have done a better job. It would have benefited our economy, and our savings plans, and we would not have heard that sucking sound in the last month.

One last observation of the craziness in Washington. If by chance the Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell would be removed from his position. Your dwindling savings plan will take the biggest hit seen in our lifetime. Credibility and stability are the cornerstones of the American investor. Given the stock markets problems over the last month, and the possible removal of Powell, the ensuing World Tea Party of 2025 will be the story for many economic cycles. I am not sure my lifetime of savings will see a return on the other side. That’s how I see the World’s Tea Party of 2025 as I look Through the Lens.