Protectionism worked very nicely for most of our history. What is wrong with protecting our industries and our workers?
Let's stop Toyota from selling Americans quality products. It's unfair to GM and the UAW.
United States' history is one of global trade going back to before Washington's administration. The patriots rioted in Boston against tea protection and that started the war of independence. The first US embassy was set up in Holland to negotiate trade pacts; the idea was to open up China once Europe was on line. To this day, it's the limp-wristed tea drinkers who need protection and it's the deep voiced imported coffee drinkers that don't.
Horse and buggies worked well, too... So did slavery... and allowing only white land-owners to vote...
Welcome to the 21st century. It's a global economy now... make yourself useful and you will succeed.
Protectionism was used in the past because America was the little guy trying to compete with large overseas corporations that could flood the market with cheap products to put any new American businesses out of business.
This is still a valid reason for tarriffs. Using tarriffs to keep established large factories from leaving is NOT what was used in the past.
Artificial barriers designed to protect those who ask for more compensation than they are worth encourages poor quality and laziness.
I don't think we are in any kind of trouble. This country has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which most economists would consider mild over-employment. This is despite the 11 million illegal aliens employed in America. America excells because of the quality and innovation that it provides, not because the government is effectively managing economic barriers.
Ask France.