Posted on 06/10/2007 11:24:02 AM PDT by G. Stolyarov II
Duncan Hunter, a U. S. Representative from the 52nd Congressional District in California, is another of the Republican contenders for the presidency in 2008. Analyzing Hunter's stances on important political issues shows him to be generally sound on his positions in support of the right to life and limited government. However, Hunter's recommendations to restrict true international free trade and prohibit online gambling are causes for significant concern.
(Excerpt) Read more at associatedcontent.com ...
I am
G. Stolyarov II,
Editor-in-Chief,
For some reason, the title of the article was not fully reproduced. Can you please change it to “An Analysis of the Ideas of Duncan Hunter”? I appreciate it.
Thank you immensely for making the change to the title of the article.
Hunter ping.
An interesting article; read the whole thing.
Hunter has a good record opposing pseudo-free-trade agreements such as NAFTA and the World Trade Organization, but this is mixed with a thorough opposition toward genuine, non-state-regulated free trade. Hunter argues that the United States trade deficit is detrimental, ignoring the economic fact that a trade deficit is also equal to a net inflow of capital into the country that experiences it. That is, foreigners are purchasing American dollars in exchange for assets that they either invest into the U. S. economy or into U. S. treasury bonds, thus preventing a complete collapse of the debt-ridden American federal government.
Furthermore, Hunter has voiced strong opposition to China’s subsidization of its manufacturers and its protective tariffs against American imports. Yet while these policies in restraint of trade can justifiably be opposed, economics shows that they do not hurt American consumers or manufacturers. Indeed, they hurt the Chinese consumers who are taxed to subsidize Chinese manufacturers while having to pay higher prices for American imports. By shielding Chinese manufacturers against competition, such policies actually render them less effective in meeting challenges posed by other non-subsidized firms.
If anything, the Chinese government subsidizes American consumers at the expense of its own citizens, by encouraging Chinese exports to the United States. But Hunter wishes to “put the same charges on foreign goods that [foreigners] put on ours.” This policy of implementing retaliatory tariffs has historically been nothing but the cause of trade wars, which intensify over time to suffocate commerce among nations. This was the effect of the notorious 1930 Smoot-Hawley tariff, which significantly worsened the Great Depression and virtually eliminated international trade; Hunter cannot reasonably expect his suggested policies to produce a different result. Furthermore, placing tariffs on imports will hurt the American consumer in the same way that the Chinese government currently hurts Chinese consumers.
Indeed, what Hunter supports is not true multilateral free trade, but rather the misnamed “fair trade.” He laments in his official platform statement that “unfortunately, foreign workers as well, in the interests of “fair trade.”
Yet the only results such a policy will obtain are diminished prospects for American companies with overseas investments and massive unemployment in Third World countries, many of whose workers do not have the skills or training to earn an American minimum wage.
Economics holds that the marginal productivity of labor, not the regulatory climate, is responsible for the wage rate. Hence, an American worker earns more because he is more productive, not because he is “protected” by government regulations. The regulations only impose a price floor on labor and result in unemployment for all those whose labor is not worth the minimum wage rate.
xxxx
Although the writer ignores that Hunter has voted for free trade deals before (see Austrailia free trade agreement), I thought I’d see what you all would think of this particular segment.
He has the tenacity and the will and his record is proof. I might add that he has been on the front lines battling illegal immigration since the Reagan Amnesty of 1986, which he opposed. Your article might well have offered some truth about online gambling and the marriages and lives it has destroyed, instead of the laser-like focus and support of some internet purity pipe-dream you seem to have. One does not log on and have diplomatic immunity, and laws must be enforced, whether the reality is virtual or otherwise. Duncan Hunter is not going to lead us into some ultra-controlled internet situation, he just does not see it as free pass to indulge illegal vice. You are correct there is really no such entity as “fair trade” but you failed to mention there is no such animal as “free trade” either. I think with some research it comes clear that Hunter and his trade issues have everything to do with the security of this country,and less with the economics of international trade. It is much to do with Americans being able to manufacture for it’s security, and not being dependent on Maoists. It is about time someone in a leadership position put China on notice. I fail to see how enormous trade deficits are a good thing, year after year, fighting with our hands behind our backs, unless you intend on invoking magic. Hunter thinks we got a bad deal and he wants to renegotiate, and perhaps not subsidize the Chinese war machine with American dollars to the extent we see now. Everything continues on smoothly for now, but there is a debt bubble that will burst eventually, and eventually the nanny-state won’t be able to bear it when there are far more riding in the wagon than pulling it. I appreciate your concerns, but I find them ill placed and largely unfounded, it’s slippery slope logic and I think it’s well beyond Hunter’s intent.
Since when is it a good thing that foreigners own our money supply or our debt? Foreigners holding our debt simply means that we are going to be paying taxes for years to come in order to pay the interest to foreigners.
Yet while these policies in restraint of trade can justifiably be opposed, economics shows that they do not hurt American consumers or manufacturers.
Before any American can be a "consumer," he or she must first have a job that provides enough income to buy or "consume" things. If the jobs that most Americans have go overseas and Americans find themselves working lesser jobs for lesser wages and lesser benefits, they will not have the money to "consume" anything. The prices of goods at the stores may be somewhat lower, but the prices of goods are only part of the story. Our income must pay for a place to live, and they can't make cheap real estate for us in some foreign country. Furthermore, if prices are cut in half but a worker's income is cut by 75%, the worker has lost ground.
Yet the only results such a policy will obtain are diminished prospects for American companies with overseas investments and massive unemployment in Third World countries, many of whose workers do not have the skills or training to earn an American minimum wage.
The issue isn't "prospects for American companies." The issue is jobs for American workers. The issue is whether we will be a country with a diversified economy or just a nation of paper pushers and paupers. Undoubtedly, those who are making a good living pushing paper will be happy to see prices drop. Furthermore, the loss of jobs for other people will bring some drop in real estate prices, so the paper pushers can buy more land. This situation will be great for the paper pushers until the Chinese invade and take their money, their stock investments, and their real estate at the point of a gun.
The winner of every major war for the past 150 to 160 years has been the side with the greater manufacturing strength. Admittedly, trade protections end up protecting many "dead wood" workers in American companies. The protection of these people is an unfortunate effect of any measures that we take to protect American manufacturing. Of course, we also have a great deal of "dead wood" at the managment level that is protected regardless of what policies the government enacts.
The economists are today's "chattering class." They produce nothing but words, and they have no concept for the value of real goods that others produce and how those real goods are tied to national security.
Bill
Thanks for keeping it accurate!
Love your tagline, WC! And Hear! Hear! to your statement in post#7.
God bless Duncan Hunter. He keeps on the firing line in the best interests of a free and sovereigne America even during his campaign for president.
I have to agree with him. I think Hunter may be taking the mercantilist point of view that imports are bad.
Taxing the imports of the Chinese will ultimately hurt the American consumer. Then we also might face taxes from elsewhere. The Europeans may try to tax our goods saying that we aren't doing enough to curb global warming.
Yes, but at the same time, China wouldn't want to try anything stupid like nationalize the our factories because we can stop paying that interest.
It is my understanding that Congressman Hunter favors removing the tax burden from American manufacturing companies, not adding taxes to imported goods.
It is my understanding that Congressman Hunter favors removing the tax burden from American manufacturing companies, not adding taxes to imported goods.
“I have to agree with him. I think Hunter may be taking the mercantilist point of view that imports are bad.
Taxing the imports of the Chinese will ultimately hurt the American consumer. Then we also might face taxes from elsewhere. The Europeans may try to tax our goods saying that we aren’t doing enough to curb global warming.”
Hunter never said we should tax imports, nor has he said other countries can not tax us.
He has said that either both countries tax imports and exports or neither country tax imports and exports.
The way it stands right now, we can not tax any other country (imports), and all other countries can tax us (exports).
“Yes, but at the same time, China wouldn’t want to try anything stupid like nationalize the our factories because we can stop paying that interest.”
That, of course, is presuming that China is more interested in keeping the money flowing in, and not more interested in taking over as a world super-power. They once were a world super-power and want to be one again.
Hunter’s main concern is not giving US companies tax incentives to manufacture overseas. IT’s incredibly short sighted when it comes to machine tools, Hi tech and defense. In fact, it’s suicidal.
Just though I’d take a minute to focus on the “personhood” bill:
John Hawkins: Would you like to see Roe v. Wade overturned?
Duncan Hunter: Yes. You know, I’m the author of the personhood-at-conception bill which right now has over 100 co-sponsors ...that would define personhood as moment of conception, so, it would allow us to have a reversal of the effects of Roe v. Wade without a constitutional amendment.
AND MORE about Hunter at............................
http://www.rightnation.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=114155
As far as I know, Duncan Hunter and Sam Brownback were the only presidential candidates to speak at the pro-life march in D.C. which shows their passion for LIFE!
I heard them speak myself on EWTN radio.
New blog targets Sen. Lindsey Graham (About Amnesty!)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1847357/posts
Writes Mr. Dinan: “Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona both went to check with Mr. Kennedy before casting their votes to match his. Soon after, (Arizona Republican Sen. Jon) Kyl also switched his vote to match Mr. Kennedy’s.” The amendment was defeated.
The tax incentive is strictly the US coporate tax rate, which at 39.3% is the world's second highest.
I favor lowering the US corporate tax rate and I hope that is Hunter's solution as well. (John Kerry spoke of the same incentives, but his idea would be to tax imports).
Hunter should clear up his positions. When he starts talking about how China is cheating on trade, the impression that is gotten, is that he wants to tax imports.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.