Thank you for your clear stated position. I am still not convinced that this is a sound policy for the government. (Note the steel tariff that had to be reconsidered, of course that may be making your point since it was the threat of trade sanctions that forced us to relent. )
I believe what is needed to return profitability to our smaller inefficient producers, (those who may be targets of foreign goods) is a return to lower oil prices. I believe cheaper energy in the US is vital to our competitive position. We use machines while poorer countries use human labor.
I do agree with you that countries that practice predatory trade practices, Japan comes to mind, should be delt with in kind. And as I already said, I have only US autos, etc although I am typing on a Toshiba laptop because when I bought US manufacturers did not have what I wanted. In general the practice of trade protectionist practices should be for specific objectives and time limited because otherwise our industries will loose their competitiveness and after that happens, protectionism will drag us down to the European model of high taxes and government provided socialism.
The steel tariff problem was created by the Feds because they can't think past the end of their nose.
The Feds did NOT slap a tariff on 'fabricated steel products,' meaning that domestic fabricators got killed by foreign fabricators--because the foreigners simply fabricated the steel before sending it here.
Meantime, our domestic fabricators paid the higher price for raw steel--and became non-competitive.
Maybe that's why the Sec/Treasury was canned, eh?
It's not about practicing protectionism for the sake of it or as a matter of routine, but only as a last resort. So your statement above I agree with fully.
China is undercutting our workers and dumping on our markets. I think tariffs on their imported products at this point is more than justified. They can threaten retaliatory action all they want, they're hardly buying anything from us anyway.