[1rudeboy]

"Hypocrite" comes from the flamewar that we're having (not you and I, specifically, just on the thread), and "Protectionism is destructionism" is a direct quote, in Reagan's own words. It's why Mojave wants to pretend it doesn't exist.

This is about the most clear you have been in any post I've seen. But it seems quite conflicting.
You've correctly identified a conflict, but not its source: in a nutshell, the source is Mojave's attempt at sophistry. Reagan can be called a protectionist because he raised tariffs on products from Japan, but Reagan cannot (according to Mojave) be called a free-trader because he lowered tariffs on products from Canada. There's your conflict . . . .

[calcowgirl]

Let's leave mojave out of it.

In your opinion, can one be a free-trader and protectionist at the same time?

[Mojave]

"Protectionism is destructionism" is a direct quote, in Reagan's own words. It's why Mojave wants to pretend it doesn't exist.

I didn't call Ronald Reagan a protectionist. That was you.