Intro

President Donald Trump has promised that a fresh wave of tariffs on April 2 will usher in an era of growth in American manufacturing. But does history bear that out? We’ll explain how steel tariffs under President George W. Bush did more harm than good. And, in response to Trump’s trade agenda, the “buy Canadian” movement is gaining steam. American exporters are already feeling it. Plus, we’ll smile about flowers, parties and the unspoken rules of texting.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “As ‘Buy Canadian’ grows, more US companies say retailers shunning their products” from Reuters
• “Republicans scramble to shield their states from Trump’s next wave of tariffs” from Politico
• “Why steel tariffs failed when Bush was president” from Politico
• “Are You a Hostile Punctuator???” from Time
• “‘God’s way of smiling at us’: Iconic DC cherry blossoms create lasting joy, new beginnings” from USA Today

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.