During the “Overtime” segment of HBO's “Real Time” on Friday, host Bill Maher said he believes tariffs are ultimately something Americans will pay for, but he also argued that means the tariffs imposed by President Joe Biden are a bad idea.
Former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) said the idea that former President Donald Trump, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, is paying for the tariffs is false, saying: “Let's say you put a tariff on televisions made in China, OK…”
Maher interjected, “Why don't you say cars? Because that's what they're doing under the Biden administration. … So why doesn't it just work on Republicans? I don't get it. That's what Biden is doing.”
Franken responded that he didn't know why Biden was putting tariffs on Chinese cars, and reopened the debate on the general concept of tariffs, arguing that either U.S. dealers would pay the tariffs, which would then be passed on to consumers or hurt businesses, with which Maher agreed. Franken added that Vice President Kamala Harris, a 2024 Democratic presidential candidate, was right to point out that Trump's tariffs would be a tax on Americans.
Maher then asked: “Why doesn't it work the same way? Why is what the Democrats are doing not a bad idea?”
Franken responded that he didn't understand the reasoning behind Biden's tariffs. Maher then said, “We have to protect American electric vehicle manufacturers.” Franken responded, “Biden's wrong.”
Maher responded to Franken's comments by saying, “Really? Was it that hard? Let's get rid of team sports. Let's get the truth out of our heads.”
to follow Ian Hanchett's Twitter Ian Hanchett
