[central_va]

Some economists( the ones with a clue ) argue that the Smoot-Hawley tariff act may have been a very bad idea but that it did not cause the Great Depression. They point out that exports only accounted for some seven percent of the U.S. gross national product in 1929 and the decline in U.S. exports in the ensuing years may have been caused by the depression itself and not solely by tariff retaliation. Some note that the U.S. had also enormously raised tariffs in 1922 and that this did not cause a depression.

Smoot-Hawley was passed almost year after the '29 crash. LOL.

[BroJoeK]

US exports during the 1930s were strictly a function of international demand for US products.
Those in turn were influenced by US tariffs imposed on foreign imports.

But, returning to our topic, the question is why in 1992 did most Republicans support NAFTA?
The answer, in brief, is because they accepted the common understanding that Smoot Hawley was bad for the Depression.
No, not that it STARTED Depression, but that once started, Smoot Hawley made it deeper & longer.
They were also highly worried about inflation and saw NAFTA as a way to control that.

Today fewer Republicans buy it, and even some Democrats have found Trump’s “fair trade” message very appealing.
Most believe Trump will negotiate better deals tban we have today.