Are Tariffs Why a Turkey Leg Costs $25 at the Texas State Fair?

Originally published on Substack. 

Texas Democrat James Talarico, who is a state representative and running for U.S. Senate against Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), AG Ken Paxton (R-TX), and Congressman Wesley Hunt (R-TX), recently blasted the rising prices at the Texas State Fair:

He’s partly right: tariffs are bad. But blaming them alone is like blaming your waiter for the price of the menu. The deeper truth is this: you’re paying monopoly prices at the fair, inflated prices at the store, and rising costs across the board — because government at every level is too big, too expensive, and too involved in the economy.

And while Democrats like Talarico, and too many Republicans, love calling out the pain, they also champion policies that pour gasoline on the fire.

​First, Let’s Talk Economics: Why Fair Food Costs So Much
​
The Texas State Fair isn’t a competitive market — it’s a closed-loop economy. You’re not allowed to bring outside food or drinks. There’s no nearby food truck park or Whataburger to force price discipline. Once you’re through the gate, you either pay the fair vendor price… or go hungry.

That’s textbook monopoly-style pricing — not because each vendor is a literal monopoly, but because the fair environment restricts competition and substitutes.

This is what economists call inelastic demand in a captive market. Prices can soar because people still pay them. A turkey leg isn’t worth $25 anywhere else — but at the fair, it is. Why? No substitutes. No competition. High fixed costs. Limited supply. And vendors are recouping fair fees, equipment costs, and labor in a short window.

So yes, prices are high — but they’re not “greedy.” They’re what the market, constrained as it is, will bear.

Now zoom out: the same logic applies when government controls or distorts markets — whether through tariffs, subsidies, zoning laws, tax codes, or regulatory barriers.

You restrict substitutes, limit competition, and suddenly… prices rise, choices shrink, and the average family gets stuck footing the bill.

Now Add Tariffs and Inflation to the Mix

Tariffs are part of this problem. They’re taxes on imports — sold as “protecting American jobs,” but really just hiking import prices for American consumers. Want cheaper things? Kill tariffs.

But again, tariffs are just one slice of the cost pie. The much bigger problem is inflation driven by out-of-control government spending.

Here’s how it works:

1. The federal government spends more than it collects in taxes.
2. The U.S. Treasury issues debt to cover the gap.
3. The Federal Reserve buys that debt — effectively printing new money.
4. More dollars chasing limited goods = higher prices across the economy.

And this isn’t just some DC story. It’s happening locally, too — school districts and cities issuing billions in new bonds, raising property taxes, and growing bureaucracies.

Texas Is a Warning Sign, Not an Exception

On this November’s Texas ballot alone, voters will weigh in on billions in new local debt, including:

• Conroe ISD – $1.9 billion
• Northside ISD (San Antonio) – $1 billion
• Fort Worth ISD – $1.3 billion
• Galena Park ISD – $530 million
• Manor ISD – $351 million
• Travis County ESD – $276 million

All pitched as necessary and noble. But let’s be clear: every one of these will raise the cost of living down the line. This is inflation by design, not by accident.

Politicians approve massive spending. They pass it to voters in the form of debt. The debt gets monetized. The money gets devalued. And your fried Oreos end up costing $14.

Both Parties Are to Blame

Let’s not pretend this is just a Democrat problem.

Republicans at every level have voted for bloated budgets, massive borrowing, and corporate handouts dressed up as “economic development.” The Trump tariffs that Talarico criticizes are real — and they are wrong. But so were Biden’s tariffs, subsidies, mandates, and regulatory burdens that deepen the inflation spiral.

This is a bipartisan fiscal crisis. Red states, blue states — doesn’t matter. If you’re overspending and borrowing beyond your means and pushing the bill to taxpayers, you’re part of the problem.

Inflation Picks Winners. Government Picks the Winners. You Lose.

The most dangerous part of all this? Government inflation doesn’t hit everyone equally.

• Businesses can raise prices.
• Government workers get COLA increases.
• Bondholders get repaid with devalued dollars.
• Politicians get re-elected for “investing in the future.”

But working families? Small businesses? Retirees? They lose — every time.

Nothing is free — not “free” school lunches, not “free” infrastructure, not “free” turkey legs. Everything has a cost. And when government distorts the economy, it picks winners and losers — always.

Here’s the Better Path

We don’t need more performative outrage from politicians like James Talarico. We need real reform:
✅ End tariffs — stop taxing Texans for voluntary trade.
✅ Cap spending at every level to less than population growth plus inflation.
✅ Audit local bond debt and stop endless borrowing.
✅ Shrink the scope of government to lower the cost of living.
✅ Let people in markets — not bureaucrats — set prices and priorities.

You want cheaper fairs, groceries, housing, and healthcare? Then it’s time to shrink government. Not grow it. Who’s coming with me?