The Chattanooga Times Free Press explored how the economic health of the Chattanooga freight industry might differ under the two presidential candidates. CRER director and chief economist Howard Wall discussed how both candidates’ policies leave a lot to be desired, but that the expansive tariff plans of Donald Trump pose the biggest threat to the freight industry as well as other industries:
“Tariffs alone can cut down on trade and potentially harm transport businesses because they won’t be hauling goods from p”orts to the rest of the country, Wall said. Trump would have some authority without Congress to impose emergency or national security tariffs, although the law doesn’t precisely define what that means…The tariffs could harm manufacturers, suppliers and distributors, Wall said. They wouldn’t be good for almost anybody.”