Four Republicans Senators Vote To Subvert Tariff’s

By
Rachel Stevenson
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Well, well, well — nothing says “principled conservatism” quite like a small band of Senate Republicans hopping the aisle to hand Democrats a political win on a silver platter. That’s exactly what happened Wednesday night when a few usual suspects decided to throw in with Senate Democrats and independents to pass a resolution aimed at killing former President Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canadian goods. Because apparently, standing up to China and Mexico is fine, but standing up to Canada? Mon Dieu! That’s a bridge too far for the Maine and Alaska crowd.

Let’s start with the plot twist: this resolution, spearheaded by none other than Tim Kaine — yes, the guy who thought being Hillary Clinton’s running mate was a good idea — actually got 51 votes in the Senate. That included Republican Senators Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Rand Paul, all of whom, in their own special ways, managed to frame their votes as profiles in courage. And sure, nothing says “courage” quite like giving CNN and MSNBC something to clap about while torpedoing your own party’s strategy.

Collins in particular made sure everyone knew she shares Trump’s concern about fentanyl but just doesn’t think Canada is the bad guy here. It’s a quaint notion, really — as if the fentanyl supply chain takes holidays once it hits Ontario. Trump, naturally, wasn’t buying the polite niceties. He fired off a Truth Social post ahead of the vote, naming names and calling the whole thing what it was: a Democratic ploy to highlight weak-kneed Republicans. He even encouraged voters to ring up their senators and give them an earful. Judging by how fast the phones in Maine started ringing, the message landed.

The irony is thick here. Democrats claim the tariffs are hurting American consumers and disrupting trade — as if we’re all supposed to be grateful for the status quo that’s been hollowing out our industries and handing leverage to every other country with a trade surplus. Suddenly, the party of endless government spending is deeply concerned about cost-of-living increases? Please. They weren’t worried about that when they were dumping trillions into green boondoggles and COVID slush funds.

Rand Paul’s objection centered on the use of emergency authority to justify the tariffs. It’s consistent with his libertarian brand — sure — but it’s also the kind of procedural purism that gets Americans rolled by more aggressive trade partners. Meanwhile, Murkowski — ever the centrist weather vane — seemed baffled that we’d be hard on Canada while “making nice” with Russia. Someone should probably let her know that this administration isn’t exactly hosting tea parties with Moscow. Trump’s plan was straightforward: punish countries that look the other way while our border is flooded with drugs. If that includes Canada, so be it.

The good news? This little rebellion was all for show. The resolution’s headed straight for the political graveyard — the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson has already put a giant “DOA” stamp on it. And even if, by some miracle, it made it out alive, Trump’s made it abundantly clear he’s vetoing it. End of story.

This was never about economic hardship or constitutional nuance. It was about Senate Democrats staging a press conference in disguise, with a few GOP senators playing along for the cameras. The goal was to embarrass Trump, distract from “Liberation Day,” and send a love note to globalist trade orthodoxy. But like so many Beltway antics, it’s going nowhere fast.

So while a handful of Republicans polish their “reasonable statesman” credentials for the Sunday shows, the rest of us will be over here, supporting policies that actually protect American workers, secure the border, and put our country’s interests first. Funny how that still plays in flyover country — even if it doesn’t in the Senate cloakroom.

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