To the editor:

Are you happy with less money in your pocket, fewer and more expensive Christmas gifts and schools without pencils? I’m not, but that’s what is coming!

Donald Trump’s imposition of sweeping tariffs — up to 245% on Chinese imports — have Americans asking: who will stand up for the common man?

Tariffs may sound tough on foreign competitors, but they are a hidden tax on American consumers, driving up prices on everyday goods from clothes and electronics to groceries and auto parts. For working families, the burden is economic and deeply personal.

The Brookings Institute finds that tariffs disproportionately affect lower-income Americans who spend a larger portion of their income on goods more likely to be imported. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that the 2018-2019 tariffs cost the average U.S. household between $600 and $1,000 annually. It is estimated that the current tariffs will cost the average family about $4,000 annually.

Meanwhile, corporate interests and political elites find ways to shield themselves from the fallout.

We need Congress to take back their power and champion trade policies that prioritize fairness and affordability. They have a means to stop this mistreatment of the working class. Trade policies should not come at the cost of the people who can least afford it.

It’s time to call, write, or otherwise demand that our elected officials put the working class first and say YES to the needs of the common man.

Regina Kekis

Rome