We don’t have ‘free trade’ or ‘free markets’ in this country any more. Haven’t had them for decades.
BTW...anyone who refuses to learn the lessons of history is a moron. Tariffs and trade restrictions have never worked...they simply chase capital and trade elsewhere. It was tariffs that turned the stock market crash of 1929 into the great depression.
Tariffs can work great...all depends on the situation. And they have worked great for America in the past (crack open your history books) and China right now. You are simply repeating the free traders faith and credo. 600-700 billion dollar trade deficits obviously are of concern to you
As far as Smoot-Hawley, back in 1933 trade was 2-3% of our GDP so how could it have had much effect on our national economy. 97% of which had nothing to do with international trade