Milt - we can agree that most of what they say is nuts. But let’s not confuse Central_VA’s point with these people being nuts.
When I lurked and FREEPED during impeachment and joined FR during the Buchanan/Bush NH primary, it was primarily trade deals that got me to post articles and comments etc. There’s no doubt that the few of us here that warned against the WSJ’s GATT, WTO, NAFTA etc. - we’re correct insofar as non-reciprocal free trade would eventually be our undoing when coupled with endless war, open borders and a debt fueled welfare state.
It’s undeniable that we have much, much less to work with now than we had then. We had a balanced budget, we only owed a few trillion dollars, there was still a manufacturing base, there was still a work ethic. But we haven’t lost the game yet, there are still patriotic Americans, and were still running on enough fumes to get out of this. If we stop right now.
Duties and fees and tariffs are in the Constitution - Ricardo and Bastiat are not. Robert Bartley is not. Dogmatic Free Trade is not.
The Democrats were the traditional labor party but it has let go of that constituency so we end up with weird associations of disparate groups all on the same side of a critical issue with the two major parties and the MSM on the other side totally ignoring the most critical issues of our time. the border and the economy.
While duties, fees and tariffs may be in the Constitution, it doesn’t mean it is necessarily wise to continue them. They are optional. We retain the option not to implement them, for example.
:-)
“...there was still a manufacturing base...”
“China Acquiring USA One Country at a Time”
“What’s the best way for a country like China to exert its influence over the U.S. economy? Acquire American-owned companies like Chinese-owned Haier just did when they purchased General Electric’s (GE) appliance business for $5.4 billion.
“So much for American independence and authentic Independence Day celebrations on July 4th.
“America can no longer claim to be an independent nation when our manufacturing base is under foreign ownership or foreign control. After all, ownership equals control, and control equals sovereignty. We lose our sovereignty as a nation when foreign companies buy our land, factories, and companies.
“How so? Because the more Chinese and other foreign companies establish ownership of American assets, plants and factories, the more they have the right to demand how our U.S economy is run, because how it is run affects them, too.
“Like the reporting you see here? Sign up for free news alerts from WND.com, America’s independent news network.
“So since GE’s appliance business (not the entire company) is now under foreign ownership and therefore foreign control, what options are left for patriotic American consumers who want to keep profits, jobs, and tax revenue within the borders of the United States?
“Whirlpool just happens to be the only remaining major American-owned appliance company in the United States, and we need to support them with our consumer dollars when we shop for appliances. Whirlpool owns such popular brands as Maytag, Amana, KitchenAid, and Jenn-Air.”
http://www.wnd.com/2016/03/china-is-acquiring-u-s-a-one-company-at-a-time/?cat_orig=world