[hedgetrimmer]

But having the government make economic decisions will add to our problems, not to mention the world's financial crisis

The government constitutionally can make decisions about tariffs to support the domestic economy. Since the government is supposed to be of the people of the United States, it follows that they should make decisions that favor the American people. You apparently are an anarachist capitalist who thinks that the American people should have no say over the domestic economy because if we did it couldn't be looted to 'globalize' the world economy. If the world economy can't be globalized, then the G7 and their slavering corporatist minions won't achieve global economic control.

America is founded on independence. No one here should give a fig about the world's financial crisis, at least until our domestic economy and independence is restored. By bringing it into the discussion, you make it clear your loyalties are elsewhere.

[palmer]

America is founded on independence. No one here should give a fig about the world's financial crisis, at least until our domestic economy and independence is restored. By bringing it into the discussion, you make it clear your loyalties are elsewhere

No it makes it clear that I am a realist. I know part of the extension of the Great Depression was due to protectionism. I don't want the government to tell me what I can or can't buy abroad. I certainly don't want a trade war in the middle of a deep worldwide recession. That said, I think that buying crap from China is deplorable and doing it with a large deficit is reckless and stupid. But those are Americans reckless and stupid (and "independent") decisions, not the government's.