Do you intend to attack private U.S. foreign investment in China? What 'artificial advantage' trade advantage do you percieve? Their lower wage rates aren't artificial. Furthermore, their currency manipulation is no better or worse than ours. In fact, they tied their currency to ours to avoid harm by our manipulation. If our currency was tied to real assets instead of a tacit promise from the Federal Reserve to not run the printing presses at Weimar speeds you might have a point there.
It means trade may carry forward, but without U.S. subsidies of FDI, no OPIC insurance, no Ex-Im Bank loans, no World Bank loans,
I'd happily jettison all U.S. government trade intervention, with all countries.
and the Chinese imports to the U.S. will be under the restrictions of the lawful Smoot-Hawley tariff, which is the legal regimen in place when Permanent Most Favored Nation Status is revoked. This 50% tariff rate applies, and makes their goods more prohbitive. But not banned.
And you think hammering American consumers for 50% higher taxes on goods they purchase is a good idea? Have you considered what that will do to their standard of living? Free trade is a process of mutual advantage, which you seem hellbent on placing Washington, D.C. in the midst of.
We will be sending a message to China and its oppressed people. "We are against your evil communist government, which has been profiting off your exploitation."
I rather spend my energy freeing oppressed U.S. citizens from the evil government that profits by extracting 5 months in taxes for every year's labor. But politicians benefit most from pointing to external threats, real and imagined.
Hence, I do not "oppose commercial relations." They are free to buy us much, or more, commodities from us as now, with no taxes whatsoever.
Have some respect for yourself. Don't say "I do not oppose commercial relations" and then propose a 50% tariff. That's disengenuous at best.
Now the next item of yours is priceless:
And you think hammering American consumers for 50% higher taxes on goods they purchase is a good idea?
Oh, "they purchase" them? What about the middle-men who don't give the "consumers" a choice? So you don't think they will somehow find a cheaper alternative to Chinese goods over at WalMart or Target? I do. You must not think very highly of their managements.
Have you considered what that will do to their standard of living?
You guys should have thought of that before you tried to make the U.S. dependent on an enemy nation. Best to shut them down now before the currency is totally debauched and our last industry destroyed. I suspect that it is really YOUR standard of living you are worrying about, not some selfless concern for your fellow American...if indeed you really are one. In any event, I would surmise you likely make your living by importing from China. IF so, then you are a part of the problem, and have proceeded in this conversation under cover of anonymity to advance a duplicitous position.
Free trade is a process of mutual advantage, which you seem hellbent on placing Washington, D.C. in the midst of.
I reiterate. We don't currently have free trade. Note, China has massive tariffs against us right now. They are in violation of virtually all their WTO requirements. From recognizing and protecting intellectual property law, tariff phase-outs, de-pegging and floating their currency, eliminating partner joint venture requirements, allowing employee freedoms of movement and defending their wages. Etc. China does not currently permit unprotected trade...
Trade requires that they honor and respect property rights. Newsflash: They are still communist. I bet you haven't read their "Constitution."