I think it comes down to reality vs ideas. The idea of free trade is good - the implementation has been criminal. It’s not free trade when our government regulates businesses to death and makes employees so expensive that their products can’t compete with other nations that have cheap labor and little to no regulation.
Is it free trade when a corporation moves it’s production overseas cutting 1000’s of U.S. jobs and creating 1000’s of jobs in another nation simply to improve stock dividends? If you own the stock it’s good I suppose. If you live in the community that is gutted by the loss of jobs it sucks.
I am for free trade when it’s done on a fair and level playing field. We don’t have that now and we struggle to be competitive in many areas because of the hidden costs and taxation that Mexican companies don’t have. Until then, we will continue to gut our manufacturing base - no thanks.
So attack those regulations. Attack the factors that make domestic production . Don't layer additional taxes (tariffs) on top of the taxes and regulations that drive jobs away. Jobs have been driven away, in large part, by big, bloated, oppressive government. Using that big, bloated, oppressive government to tax companies in order to coerce them into keeping jobs here is NOT the answer.
I agree but you could eliminate all regulations and taxes and the US worker would still be unable to compete with third world wage workers. So you either have vibrant industrial economy at that employs Americans and keeps out workforce from becoming idle and absolute, or you don't.