When I was overseas, a long, long time ago, it took me a while to understand, but confusion about what to do next was an opportunity for a bribe. I’m not talking about thousands of dollars here. I’m talking about a couple of bucks to get someone to stamp a piece of paper. They knew they had to stamp it, and they probably would without bribe, but the bribe made it happen a lot faster.

That’s what comes to mind when I see the confusion caused by the tariffs. I’m not saying anyone is expecting a bribe. After all, the ticket agent, conductor, or whoever, would never take a bribe. I’m just not sure who is supposed to offer the bribe? Are US citizens supposed to offer the bribe? Are foreign countries? Are the importers? (Like Apple).