Trump Gamble on Southern Border Seems to Pay Off

Never underestimate fear of financial loss as a motivator. Last week in this column, I argued that the threat to place tariffs on Mexican goods was a bad idea because there are less risky and destructive ways to deal with the immigration problem on the U.S. southern border. As of this writing, it now appears that the president's bold gamble has paid off — despite the reservations of us timid economists.