The Old Republic circa 1787-1861, you know the Republic that actually worked before Lincoln the Goon ruined everything, was completely financed on the Federal level by levies and tariffs. Odd you consider our founders such "control freaks", I don't.
I didn't make this up but I wish I had: "Free Trade works so well we no longer have a steel or aluminum industry in the US"
If we needed them, we would have them.
We can buy the stuff from others and don’t need to pay a large premium, a “Buy America” tax.