To the editor:

Rhode Island was founded by a man who refused to accept the authority of centralized power. Roger Williams broke from the Puritan consensus and built a political vision rooted in liberty, moral conviction, and a radical belief in conscience over conformity. The smallest state became, for a time, the most principled.

In 2025, the President of the United States imposed sweeping tariffs via executive order—circumventing Congress and rewriting federal tax policy unilaterally. This isn’t merely a terrible economic decision. It is a direct violation of Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution: “The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises…”

This is taxation without representation. And just as Rhode Islanders once burned the H.M.S. Gaspee for British violations of this principle, we must once again be willing to act in defense of our liberties.

No one expects a state like Rhode Island to dictate national politics. But a small state can still change the narrative. While the larger states play defense or wait for court challenges, Rhode Island could lead through action—with clarity and conviction.

The opportunity for the Governor should be unmistakable. If he is willing to refuse compliance with the executive order, he could seize control of the state’s ports, bar Customs officials from enforcing unconstitutional tariffs, and announce that Rhode Island will not serve as a conduit for federal overreach.

This would not be chaos. It would not be nullification. It would be federalism working as designed. The Constitution is the highest law in the land—and when the federal executive violates it, the states do not just have the right, they have the duty to push back.

The White House could challenge such a move in court. But that legal process would take months, even years. In the meantime, the Governor would become a national voice for constitutional order—the one person who stood for the basic structure of American governance.

There are political reasons to act as well. Rhode Island needs a win. Recent headlines have embarrassed our state. The Washington Bridge fiasco and other infrastructure failures have made voters cynical. Trust in leadership is at an all-time low. What better way to reset the narrative than to lead with principle?

This is about legacy. It’s about an opportunity for a strategic Governor to rise and meet the moment—even if that comes with political risk. Without risk, there is no hope for reward.

And is that not Rhode Island’s motto? Hope. A promise and vision for the future. Our history is full of moments when someone stood up for principles—for staking our claim in moral territory that matters.
And it still matters.

Someone will be the first to act. Why not Rhode Island? Why not now?

Jasper Voss
Hillside Road