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Each year brings new urgency to the fight for free markets and individual liberty.

But this year was a doozy.

President Trump’s tariff policies have been, to put it mildly, disruptive. The overall economic policies coming from his administration have been erratic, ill-defined, and often self-contradictory.

Worse still, they threaten the functional equivalent of a massive tax increase on Americans, many of whom are still reeling from the destructive inflation of the Biden years.

At Independent Institute, we’ve been busier than ever trying to combat destructive policies. One of our most important efforts to date has been the drafting and release of the Anti-Tariff Declaration ([link removed]) .
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Read the Declaration ([link removed])

The Declaration sets forth, clearly and emphatically, the key principles of American prosperity. Hundreds of economists have signed it, including Nobel laureates, past members of the Council of Economic Advisers, and leading scholars within the economics profession.

The aim is to provide liberty-minded people—especially lawmakers on Capitol Hill—with the intellectual ammunition needed to protect prosperity.

In fact, this spring, I met with Rand Paul’s legislative staff in Washington, D.C. I was able to offer the intellectual case against tariffs, which Senator Paul is using as he talks to the media and his colleagues.
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Of course, I’m thrilled that my work is informing lawmakers and citizens alike. But it’s important to remember that Independent Institute is not partisan or political.

In my many writings and media appearances—in theWall Street Journal ([link removed]) , Law & Liberty ([link removed]) , Quillette ([link removed]) , on Jonah Goldberg’s The Dispatch ([link removed]) podcast, and other outlets—I aim for intellectual rigor, academic integrity, and balance.

I believe—and I know you do, too—that Americans are sick of partisan hacks dominating public discourse. I refuse to add to the noise.

Independent Institute’s mission will always rise above the political frays of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Truth is our compass; not expediency.

I’m writing because I know you share this vision, and I know you care about our values.

We couldn’t be more grateful for your continued support at this critical time in American life. Thank you.

I hope you’ll consider supporting us ([link removed]) once more. A contribution now would be especially timely, as our fiscal year ends on June 30^th.
Will you defend liberty with Independent Institute? ([link removed])

Your tax-deductible contribution will enable us to remain a beacon of liberty, addressing the pressing challenges of our time with integrity and scholarly excellence.

Thank you for being part of our mission. I’m deeply honored by your support.

Warm regards,

Phillip W. Magness, Ph.D.
Senior Fellow
David J. Theroux Chair in Political Economy
Independent Institute
100 Swan Way
Oakland, CA 94621
(510) 632-1366
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