New Poll Shows Only One in Four Georgia Voters Believe Tariffs Should Be Long Term Economic Policy
As the Trump administration continues to implement across the board tariffs and tease even more tariffs, Georgia businesses are grappling with rising costs, disrupted operations, and growing economic uncertainty. Across sectors—from manufacturing to craft brewing—employers are speaking out about the mounting financial pressure and the long-term risks to jobs and investment. Meanwhile, a new poll reveals that Georgia voters are taking notice and expressing deep concern about the economic fallout.
Here’s what Georgians are reading about the impact of these tariffs:
FOX5 Atlanta: How tariffs are impacting Georgia businesses
“These tariffs are going to be punitive. They are a tax on businesses and consumers alike,” said Tom Smith, Emory University Economist. “It’s important to note, these taxes are not paid by the Chinese government. These taxes are not paid by Vietnam. They’re not paid by other countries. They are paid by our businesses and our consumers”.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Stock up or save? Here’s what experts say about the economy as tariffs shift
“There are a handful of economic variables that would point to the economy being solid, and then there’s many economic variables that would point to the economy being not so solid,” Smith said on a call Thursday with reporters.
He likened it to the Atlanta Braves. So far, they’ve scored a couple of runs, but “they’ve lost more games than they won. So you can still have good events happen, then you can have negative consequences that prevail.”
WTOC: Tariffs on steel and aluminum impacting local brewers
Joseph Cortes is the executive director of Georgia’s Craft Brewer’s Guild, he says breweries are put in a tough spot when it comes to passing on costs to the consumer.
“If you produce toilet paper, or a basic staple food item, folks have to have that,” said Cortes. ” Whereas where you’re producing something that really affects the quality of life of communities, that’s a discretionary item. The last thing that our small breweries will do is raise prices on the consumer and pass that on.”
Cortes says the uncertainty around the future of tariffs in the U.S. is impacting small business owners’ ability to plan for the future.
Atlanta Business Chronicle: Tariff whiplash sows ‘pure uncertainty’ for Georgia businesses
Felipe Arroyave, president of Atlanta-based contact lens producer Spectrum International, said it will be difficult to decouple from China.
“Even if the product is made in the United States, the raw material comes from overseas, and there’s no way to change that overnight,” Arroyave said. “That’s going to take a decade for us to be able to source the polymers, the plastics, the caps, the vials, the packaging. I mean, it is impossible.”
Arroyave, who employs about 30 people across North America, said he can’t sleep at night and is scared to turn on the news.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia voters are worried about Donald Trump’s tariffs, poll finds
A new Morning Consult poll of Georgia voters offers a bleak view of President Donald Trump’s tariff policy — and a potential warning shot to Republicans embracing the strategy ahead of next year’s election.
The top line: more than two-thirds of Georgia voters believe tariffs will jack up prices on everyday items. A majority are already cutting back on spending, avoiding big purchases or stocking up before price hikes hit.
Just one-in-four voters say that tariffs should remain as a permanent part of the U.S. economy, including fewer than a third of Republicans. Nearly half say they’re more likely to vote for a member of Congress who opposes new tariffs, including a third of GOP voters.
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