> Since most candidates are running on a platform of promising more free things
Most candidates are running on a platform of directing the taxes citizens pay towards services the citizens want. It's easy, and dishonest, to deride these as "free things" if you don't want them. Even the tax cut tooth fairy is supposed to be deficit neutral due to "dynamic accounting" gimmickry. The difficult lift is to discern what promises are based on flimflam and which are based on honest accounting and reasonable, time-tested assumptions.
Forget the candidates, what about our current president. He seems plenty happy spending away. Billions in Agriculture subsides to prop up his trade war, just as a start.
You are aware that the money collected by the tariffs was extracted from American pockets, right, not Chinese? So you are describing a tax and transfer program: Americans who buy Chinese goods are taxed to compensate Americans who are losing income due to the trade war with China.
I have more faith in modern politics that one man can veto an entire cabinet of elected officials on what to spend. Whether or not one man can influence them or ask them to keep spending, I have no doubts. But... how many elected lifetime professional politicians sign off on budgets + spending? I am going to guess it is more than "one man".
I'm all for scrutinizing everybody who sits in that chair, but forget the candidates? If you're concerned about the state of our financial situation, I don't see how you can't be scared of these people. It makes me hope they really are just making promises they can't begin to keep.
