How the Trump Tariffs Assist Monopoly

Grocery giant Albertsons has notified suppliers that the chain will not accept cost increases due to tariffs.

Grocery suppliers whose sourcing or manufacturing is overseas have incurred costs on its products, but hardball like this would mean they would have to compensate for losses with other retailers, perhaps ones where the power relationship is reversed.

Small businesses account for one-third of U.S. imports, according to The Wall Street Journal .

Smaller companies will not be able to avoid the cost hike from tariffs, writes Aaron Miller .

Miller : Large companies with more lobbying resources can afford to play the games necessary to extract exemptions from Trump .

Small businesses need a government lifeline to bridge gap, Miller says.

The Trump tariffs in particular, with their across-the-board impact, and clear invitations to potentially corrupt deals for exemptions, lend themselves to this consolidation and control within the economy. It may not be the point of the tariffs, but for big companies it’s certainly an enticing by-product..