It’s one of those things (private monopolies are BAD, trade deficits are bad, the “wage gap” needs to be corrected, etc) that has been so drilled into the public that not even reason stands a chance.
I’ve tried explaining it with the grocery store analogy. I run a trade deficit with the grocery store (I buy their goods, they never buy mine). The more money I make, the more groceries I buy, the bigger my “deficit” becomes. Is this a bad thing?
I know what they say when you use the GS analogy... “Yeah, but you’re using the same currency! That’s not what happens when we trade with china!”