[katana]

If that protection was removed the cost of sugar might decline from a couple bucks per 5 pound bag to $1.00, and the domestic farming of cane and beet sugars would also probably cease. When that happens, what do you think the offshore sugar suppliers in Brazil, Central America, Cuba, etc. would do and where would the new imported price end up?

As someone who's made a living for many years in the export business I can tell you that Free Trade based on Comparative Advantage is a fine ideal but there is also a definite place for protection of domestic agriculture and manufacturing. Compared with the way every country I export to manages their import regime we have plenty of room to move toward better support of our domestic industries before the "playing field" becomes anything resembling level.

[allmendream]

I think any and all jobs “saved” due to the Protectionism of cane and beat sugar growing in the USA were more than made up for by jobs “lost” in candy manufacturing, etc.

If the USA produced no sugar at all, the sugar manufacturing nations would still be selling at the world price, in competition with each other. They haven't formed a sugar OPEC yet, have they?

Strange to see “conservatives” arguing that government intervention in the market is a good thing that leads to the most positive outcomes for the most people.