Although I’ve never lived on the coast, there’s something about drinking an ice cold Corona (with a lime, of course) that takes me to a warm and sandy place, no matter which dingy NYC bar I might be drinking at that evening.
Unfortunately, my day dreams of dipping my feet in salty water while sipping on a cold one may soon be coming to an end as the cost of the beloved Corona may be going up, thanks to the 2016 election.
As part of his agenda for his first 100-days in office, Donald Trump has promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Act. If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering, “WTF is that and why should I care?” I got you, fam.
According to NPR, “NAFTA has been knitting together the economies of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, allowing manufacturers and farmers to more easily do business across an immense economic space.”
Trump has said he wants to impose “steep tariffs on imported goods,” which means he wants to force a large tax on imports or exports, because he believes some U.S. manufacturers have moved jobs to Mexico (which should have otherwise stayed in the U.S.).
Currently, NAFTA allows the U.S. and Mexico (and Canada) to trade beer “duty-free,” meaning there isn’t a tax that drives up the price. But without NAFTA, the price tag on our much-loved Corona could go all the way up.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there. Trump’s plans for NAFTA could also have an impact on how much it costs to actually make the beer. Without NAFTA, the price of barley would most likely increase, which means Mexico would no longer be able to purchase it from the U.S. relatively inexpensively.
Some speculate that Trump will be unable to get rid of NAFTA, but until we know for sure, I’m gonna go stock up on all of the limes and all of the Coronas. Cheers, America.