Oren Cass, founder and chief economist of American Compass, a Washington think tank, describes himself as a right-of-center conservative. In reality, his economic views align far more closely with those of the far left.

In a Substack essay last week, Cass reiterates his support for President Donald Trump’s tariff regime, arguing that protectionism will spark a domestic manufacturing renaissance. He envisions a return to the post-World War II era, when a single factory wage could comfortably support a stay-at-home parent and a family. It sounds good on paper.