J.D. Vance

During an otherwise sterling performance in Tuesday night’s debate, Sen. J.D. Vance made one telling misstep. …In response to a question about how to expand the housing supply, Vance argued that part of the solution must be lower energy costs—because those factor into the cost of housing. …That’s a good point—and Vance is right that affordable, abundant energy should be a top priority for any presidential administration. But he should also consider the lumber that’s being carried on the truck in his hypothetical example. If that lumber comes from Canada, it will be subject to 14.5% tariffs—tariffs that were hiked from 8% to that level earlier this year—that will increase the cost of that load a lot more than slightly higher fuel prices will. The National Association of Home Builders, an industry group, calls those tariffs “a tax on American builders, home buyers, and consumers” and says they directly affect housing affordability.