[ScottM1968]

It is amazing, in light of how inherently unworkable free trade must be, that countries such as Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, and others are able to conquer a huge part of the world's economy (and without any native resources) though minimal (if any) trade tariffs.

I guess free trade is dead. Long live protectionism--NOT!!

[Zionist Conspirator]

Just remember, ladies and gentlemen, that All Good Whigs oppose the Confederacy and support the Central Bank!

[mhx]

This is some LaRouchie thing, isn't it.

[ScottM1968]

U.S. citizens, and even economists and historians in this country, have often never heard of the "American System" of economics which made our nation great.

It is funny how people define what "made our country great" as resulting from a given pet attitude. A common public service announcement (PSA) on radio often talks of our "diversity" as being what "made our country great", too.

The simple truth is that our country became great through (and despite) the many things which happen to us along the way. How we as a nation responded and developed through a mixture of varied circumstances, resources, and attitudes over time is what brought us to where we are today. It is as basic (and unattributable) as that.

The next time I hear someone steal the nation's greatness for such selfish motives I will simply have to respond, "No, this country became great only through my existence alone."

How's that for selfishness?

[neutrino]

Great explanation! End Free Traitin' now!

If you want on or off my offshoring ping list, please FReepmail me!

[MonroeDNA]

With free trade, you get paid what you are worth, not what you make people pay for what you think you are worth.

If you screw bumpers on cars, you are not worth $40 an hour. You are worth $7 an hour.

If you are a longshoreman in LA, pulling levers, you are not worth $120k a year. You are worth $12.

Unions need to die.

[Havoc]

Wow. Bump!

[hedgetrimmer]

Bump

[MissAmericanPie]

You guys will not like the results of the FTAA treaty to be signed this coming January.

[meadsjn]

Check out this article on Republican protectionism from the McKinley era.

[bvw]

Good ideas on the table!

[A. Pole]

The future President [Republican McKinley - murdered in 1901]then explained why the British system was not appropriate to the United States:

"...Free trade may be suitable to Great Britain and its peculiar social and political structure, but it has no place in this republic, where classes are unknown, and where caste has long since been banished; where equality is a rule; where labor is dignified and honorable; where education and improvement are the individual striving of every citizen, no matter what may be the accident of his birth, or the poverty of his early surroundings. Here the mechanic of today is the manufacturer of a few years hence. Under such conditions, free trade can have no abiding place here."

Free trade bump.

[Uncle Vlad]

Excellent read!

[guitfiddlist]

Who needs buggy whip industries like cars, computers, consumer electronics, airliners, apparel, furniture, and software development? We'll let ignorant third-world losers do that low-tech stuff. We're going to make the leap into space-age technologies such as nanotechnology, Mars exploration, and genetic engineering. There's something wrong with the Monster Board right now, since it doesn't show the millions of jobs in these industries, but there-a-comin'...ain't noooooo doubt about it.

In the meantime, we have cutting-edge service jobs at CVS, Walmart, bankruptcy planning and hurricane reconstruction...soon as we get the illegals out of the way. The future ain't been brighter!!

[IrishCatholic]

Thanks, bookmark for later.

[Publius Valerius]

Hmmm. Yes, let's continue to rely on the economics of the 19th century to make policy decisions.

Sorry, The Chicago School has won the day, thank God. Just accept it and move on. Nothing more to see here.

[Question_Assumptions]

Bump for later.

[WRhine]

Here the mechanic of today is the manufacturer of a few years hence. Under such conditions, free trade can have no abiding place here."

The glaring Truth that all Free Traitors like to overlook. Once the basic foundation of an industry is destroyed, the technological advancement of that industry becomes impossible because the skill sets and knowledge base is gone. It's like trying to build state of the art Aircraft in a nation that has few engineers, scientists and no manufacturing infrastructure.

[x]

There's something to be said for the ideas and policies of the early Republicans, including protection, in the context of 19th century America, and perhaps even some applicability of those ideas today. But this is a LaRouchite article, and the LaRouchites are a pretty scary bunch. What's most off-putting about free-traders is the closed, cultic nature of their thinking. The LaRouchites, though, are if anything even more cultic and frightening.

The study of history is fascinating and important. And there are real heroes and villains in history. But those who want to turn history into a simple battle between the good guys and the bad guys or between absolute evil and absolute good -- whether they are Rockwellites, or Randians, or LaRouchians or whatever else -- make a mockery of past events. Good and evil certainly do exist, but one can't simply label all opponents or proponents of free trade or tariffs evil or villainous. Such trade questions were issues about which people of good will could and did disagree.

[Darnright]

Bump for later