[allmendream]

How has American protection of the US sugar producers worked out for us?

Well, it has feathered the nest of many a Florida sugar grower, at the expense of the American consumer who has to pay much more for sugar at the grocery store, and at the expense of American candy manufacturing.

An artificially high price for sugar in the USA due to protectionism of the US sugar producing industry has driven many a job and factory that used to produce candy or chocolate overseas.

But we still have our heavily government subsidized sugar growers! Good job! NOT!

[Alberta's Child]

An artificially high price for sugar in the USA due to protectionism of the US sugar producing industry has driven many a job and factory that used to produce candy or chocolate overseas.

It's also pushed a lot of U.S. producers of sweetened products to use corn syrup instead of sugar in their products.

I guess that's one of the goals of the sugar protection racket, too -- when you consider how much influence U.S. agricultural giants like Archer Daniels Midland have in the Federal government.

[dennisw]

How about steel and oil? We should buy them from other nations? How about letting Toyota and Nissan and Hyundai set up factories on US soil? You think that is smart? If you have no problem with the above then you are not an American. You are a world citizen like 0bama fancies himself

[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.

[ApplegateRanch]

Well, it has feathered the nest of many a Florida sugar grower, at the expense of the American consumer who has to pay much more for sugar at the grocery store, and at the expense of American candy manufacturing.

If it saves just one child's tooth....