The Biden-Trump presidential election hasn’t just become a race to the bottom because voters always regarded the two candidates as the dregs. The public doesn’t want either and especially doesn’t want a 2020 reprise.

But 2024 is clearly a sprint to a low place for America, leader of the global trading system. That was made plain by President Joe Biden’s announcement that he intends to slap 25%-100% tariffs on Chinese imports from electric vehicles to medical syringes and needles.