Posted on 02/28/2016 12:44:42 PM PST by No One Special
“There was once a time when conservatives believed in the free market, instead of clamoring for our government to make it “fair.””
The “fair market” Trump is talking about is the one in which both of the trading partners enjoy the same trading privileges. As matters now stand between China and the United States, Mexico and the United States, and other nations and the United States there is no free trade, because China and the other nations charge the United States ruinous tariffs and devalue their currencies with respect to the U.S. Dollar while denying the United States the same privileges. So, what is being called free trade in today’s global economy is an oxymoron due to its being the exact opposite of actual free trade. Trump is demanding the United States enjoy the same rights as its trading partners.
As far as moving elsewhere, tough luck . . . someone has to stick around and warn others not to trust the government.
Now, we have an immigration problem, but that has nothing to do with the Mexican beer I buy . . . . .
Government has always had the role of making it a fair and free market within our own borders. But international trade is a different story.
Our founding fathers put protectionist import tariffs in place and considered them a tax on foreigners wanting to sell into our markets.
The GOP used to be known as the Grand Ole Protectionist party.
Reagan negotiated touch trade deals, making the Japanese adhere to a voluntary quota and produce in the U.S., and putting import tariffs on steel and motorcycles.
The free trade deals we have cut have contributed to the de-industrialization of America and the high unemployment. It's time to reverse it. And a real conservative would open his eyes and learn.
If only we had some sort of a world trade organization, of the sort that Reagan envisioned.
You know that the WTO agreements allow the imposition of an import tariff in the face of chronic trade deficits.
I suspect President Trump is going to use that to renegotiate the trade deals and/or to fund his tax cuts.
You know that the WTO agreements allow the imposition of an import tariff in the face of chronic trade deficits.
I suspect President Trump is going to use that to renegotiate the trade deals and/or to fund his tax cuts.
No, I did not know that. I do know that the WTO permits tariffs as sanctions for dumping and whatnot, much like it permits retaliatory sanctions. Something that Pres. Trump would be wise to consider.
Right, but in most cases they aren’t dumping. Their labor costs are just so much lower than ours. And in China’s case, that’s due to government policy.
He could also go the route that Romney mentioned, declare China a currency manipulator.
But I think general tariffs are the way to go. Goods have a way of being rebranded through neutral or even friendly countries and finding their way to our shores anyway. Best just to tariff them all.
Notice the reason given is to keep countries with high trade deficits from going bankrupt. That's what happened to Greece. High trade deficits resulted in high unemployment, which resulted in government deficits, which resulted in bankruptcy. Once everyone lost their jobs the trade deficit came down. Because nobody could afford the imports anymore.
Of course Greece got hit by the EU agreements as well as WTO agreements.
I think that if China allowed their currency to float, it would get weaker, not stronger.
I don’t know. In general, I think setting our policy on what China may or may not do with their currency, and whether or not it’s perceived to be fair is unwise.
Better to set policy based on what is going on in our own country. Base it on the real unemployment rate (or the percent of working age employed since the government figures aren’t believable), the trade deficit, the industries we need for military, the industries we need for the future, the toxicity of the industry, the wage value of the industry, etc.
“NAFTA was Reagan’s idea. God Bless him.”
Why don’t you go say that to the 1200 people losing their jobs with Carrier as the company leaves for Mexico.
Or the thousands of Ford Motor jobs leaving the U.S. as it leaves for Mexico.
Or the hundreds of jobs lost as Nabisco leaves for Mexico.
Or the hundreds of jobs lost as General Electric left for Mexico. I just bought a General Electric washer. Made in Mexico. Cheaper labor, savings were not passed on to me.
Or the hundreds of jobs lost when John Deere left for Mexico.
You get my drift. I could go on forever.
Ronald Reagan did propose it; he was for free trade with his rhetoric, but very protectionist in implementing his policies.
The Northern industrialists were the real ones who started the underground railroad to free slaves. They knew that if the slaveholders started building factories in the South, they could NEVER compete. That is also why they provoked a Civil War — to eliminate slavery once and for all, but not for altruistic reasons.
Today, the industrialists merely move the job to take advantage of the practically slave labor wages.
“One would think that people commenting on trade would understand.”
Yes, but we don’t, which is why Trump is performing an invaluable service by dragging the problem and the consequences of the TPP that Rubio and Cruz are responsible for helping to adopt out into the harsh light of day.
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