To the extent any Republicans support “free trade”, it’s a valid criticism.
What we should initiate, is significant import tariffs.
I suggest 100%. This would almost exactly raise enough tariff dollars to replace the entire US federal tax system. Income taxes, all of it.
Tariffs. It’s how America originally worked. We seem to have become a global superpower back then.
Import tariffs.
Across the board. One rate. No loopholes. No exceptions. Everything imported into America.
Of course since import tariffs are on ... imports, this would mean zero taxes on anything made, grown or drilled out of the ground right here in the United States of America.
Jobs would start blossoming across America, immediately, to compete with the now less competitive imported prices...
American companies would no longer find “outsourcing” to be attractive, nor profitable. Products invented in the United States, would NOT be made in China - rather things invented in America would create jobs in America.
America first.
That would be a great idea... if only we exported anything besides Maine Lobsters and California Oranges.
I think we're in much deeper trouble than you know.
I agree with you about import duties. Although many here and elsewhere in conservative circles have bought into the “free trade” mantra. I believe in free trade within the US, and possibly among the most faithful of allies, but managed, bi-lateral trading agreements with everyone else. The best way for us to restore our economy to starting making stuff here again.
NO FRICKING WAY!!
At the beginning of the 1929 stock market crash - things got bad ....but Congress (Republicans - Smoot and Hawley) pushed for a Trade/Tariff bill “to protect our companies from foreign imports”.
Well - the other countries retaliated with similar tariffs - and the result made bad things FAR FAR WORSE.
At present, the US is the biggest seller of goods to foreign markets - but - we buy an awful lot from other countries.
Now ...maybe “selective” equivalent tariffs ...i.e. -tell China that we will have tariffs to match any/all tariffs that they put on our products coming into China. AND -tell China that we will have big time fines for their failure to protect intellectual property (i.e. - no more software theft...no more building/selling products that violate US patents, etc.