[Hermann the Cherusker]

Ask Bush why the tariff on steel at the beginning of the war? It raised prices on the steel itself and further raised costs for those in the industry.

You clearly don't have any work related to the steel industry.

If you did, you'd know that steel prices fell when the tarriff was put into effect, and rose, when it was lifted.

Yes, that is counterintuitive to free-marketeer doctrine, but it is what really happened in the marketplace. The tarriff stimulated domestic companies to restart more domestic capacity than foriegn capacity was constricted by the tarriff (think the LTV mill in Cleveland, for example). A greater overall supply available in the US meant that prices fell.

Around the time the tarriff was removed, the Chinese steel market started overheating, sucking in scrap and finished steel wherever it could be found and thus raising overall prices worldwide for these products.

[Willie Green]

Dubya's steel tariffs were such a farce (riddled with hundreds of loopholes and exemptions) that my belief is that they were totally inconsequential one way or the other. It's actually an example of Dubya pandering to both sides at the same time and avoiding a decision based on fundamental economic principles.

[LibertyRocks]

"You clearly don't have any work related to the steel industry."

Well, perhaps I'm wrong as far as what drove up production costs in the last 3 years. I was under the impression that it was the tariff that assisted in the rise of costs. If it's the other way around then I appreciate your information.

As far as not having business in the steel industry...my husband is a precision/prototype machinist. So, yes I am involved somewhat with the industry on the manufacturing end - it puts food on my table, and clothes on my children's back.

As I said in a previous post I'm not as educated on this issue as I could or should be I suppose. I do appreciate the information in these posts. It's obviously in my best interest to become more educated on the issue of trade as it affects our manufacturing sector.