[unseen]

I agree with you on this account. "Free people unfettered by government and taxes can create enormous wealth. Absolutely enormous wealth." However, we do not live in a free world. We live in a world with numerous governments, numerous roadblocks, and a world with many taxes. In the real world. The taxes must be paid. We can pay them or we can charge an admission fee to outside sellers. I would rather the outside sellers pay.

[jess35]

I would rather the outside sellers pay.

You do realize, don't you that the tax would still be passed on to you? Companies do NOT pay taxes. Every tax imposed by our government is passed directly on to the consumer. Say we get rid of Chinese merchandise and I have to pay $40 for a tshirt instead of $25. Does that raise my standard of living? Did protectionism help the average "citizen" of the Soviet Union?