Open Letter to President Trump

Mr. President.

Please permit me to make an observation that is important to you and the country.

I agree 200% with your objectives and plan to balance trade globally with tariffs.

However, the foundation of this country, and success of your MAGA movement, is fundamentally based on THE AMERICAN DREAM.

I recommend you consider an Executive Order that protects and enshrines the American Dream with the same vigor that you are pursuing tariffs.

Here is the threat.

It's wonderful that our country has major retail corporations that make supply to families very efficient. But, through their policies, these major retailers have become to their vendors what China has become to the US. In a free market environment, the market weeds out the weak and incompetent. But we now have a situation where these powerful retailers are, by policy, controlling the fate of small US companies who are their vendors.

These large retailers do not permit small vendors to change (increase) their pricing in order to continue selling the retailer. The result is that these small vendor US companies are squeezed to tiny margins or even losses. HENCE, THE AMERICAN DREAM IS THREATENED.

Collectively, these large retailers control a large portion of the US economy.

Take, for example, a small coffee roasting company that has enjoyed the American Dream for 20 years. Wall Street speculators suddenly force up green bean commodities by 70% the same way they drive up oil through speculation. Unlike oil, the US does not farm green coffee beans. The climate and soil and expertise does not exist in US agriculture. So there is no possibility of a US supply of green coffee beans.

The problem comes when the large retail buyer says "No. You can not raise your prices". Collectively, these powerful retailers will destroy the American Dream small business universe ... and destroy our country's core economy…and the families that would otherwise thrive from their hard work and dedication.

You can see the reality of these corporate giants’ policies as both Commodity Speculation and tariff policy unfold.

My recommendation is two Executive Orders to protect the American Dream.

1. Any Commodity that is not possible to purchase from a supply source in the US should have an exemption from tariffs. Green coffee beans as an example.

2. Top tier corporate retailers and direct marketers should be restricted from predatory purchasing policies that potentially threaten their vendors. This would include restricting of price changes from existing suppliers who are victims of commodity manipulation. I am not suggesting price controls, simply preventing large retailers from driving valued vendors into bankruptcy because of corporate policy that ignores temporary realities in the supply chain.

In full disclosure, I am aware of this problem because a member of my family is in the coffee roasting business and has large retail customers as well as large direct marketers. I do not have an equity interest in this relative's company.

Thank you for your time and consideration of my proposal and advocacy of THE AMERICAN DREAM.

Yours truly,

Arthur Rosenfield
Strategic, Financial, and Business Development Group

https://SFBDGdashboard.com/arthur-rosenfield