Newsweek opinion editor Josh Hammer, Reason Magazine editor-at-large Matt Welch offer analysis on WSJ at-Large
President-elect Joe Biden is pledging to use the power of the federal government to buy American goods and jump-start domesticmanufacturing. Some companies say rules that are too restrictive could raise their costs and complicate supply chains for items not made in the U.S.
Biden’s “buy American” proposals echo those of previous presidents, including President Trump, who issued executive orders to spur more federal purchases of U.S. goods and sought to use tariffs to disadvantage foreign producers. The results for companies have been uneven, with some benefiting from increased sales and others dealing with higher expenses.