I find it curious indeed that a conservative, is against a tax cut on a business with the potential to create jobs, be on the state or federal level. I agree whole heatedly we should be willing to give the same tax breaks to American companies that want to start in Idaho. I can think of a few initiatives to offer tax cuts to startups here in Idaho, but I'm not sure how comparable the benefits are. I'll see what I can find out.
Please explain why it would be wrong for a Chinese citizen with the required capital to come and build a business in Idaho when you would see no problem with an American doing the same? These free trade zones have been done for more than the Chinese so I'm confused why all the uproar over this particular law. I'm searching for the logic behind the panic.
Please don't read me wrong. I'm not saying this is a wonderful policy, as with all policies it has its flaws. But it is not selling the United States to the Chinese. It is a natural occurrence of our trade deficit leaving the Chinese with a lot of dollars to invest after selling us cheap goods. It clearly is not the United States of America being sold to China and Butch Otter does not deserve to be thrown under the bus as being in league with Obama.
As far as shipping Nampa has a inter modal rail facility and it would make sense to build products and transport them by container to the docks in Portland. Grain among other things are shipped by barge from Lewiston (which is technically a port of entry into the US).
If you are against free trade for the sake of free trade ie. the everything should be made in America attitude, I have a suggestion. Find a copy of David Ricardo On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation. written in 1821. He has a quite interesting explanation of the problems of mercantilism.
How old are you? You don’t seem to have any recollection that China IS A COMMUNIST COUNTRY.
By the way, there is no such thing as Free Trade with China. China manipulates their currency to start off.
Who do you think is going to pay for all the infrastructure that is going to be necessary to serve this 50 square mile Free Trade Zone??? Not China. Think about the rail lines, the power lines and the highways, the water and sewers. That is all going to be on the US government or the citizens of Idaho.
....and what do we get in exchange? nada.