Replies

You are failing to understand that there is no such thing as 'free trade'. Anyone who has had export dealings knows the unfair hurdles that U.S. business has to go through to sell U.S. product to countries that utilize protectionist tariffs to keep U.S. products uncompetitive in their respective countries. And, not only do they us exhorbatent high tariffs, they use restrictive trade barriers as well.

I already said that previously. I guess you didn't pay any attention.

Trump is right in that Mexico and Canada have engaged in putting high tariffs on U.S. products to keep them out of their respective countries. Canada putting more tariffs on U.S. products over and about those already in place is just redundant.

there is no such thing as 'free trade'

Before the 1900's there was no such thing as man in flight. Did that mean that the ability to fly didn't exist? NO! It meant that man did not know that he COULD fly and what it would take to do so. But the priciples of flight were there all the time.

Same thing with the free market. The voluntary cooperation between buyers and sellers in the marketplace free from government interference exists all the time, but if people don't take advantage of it, it lays dormant like the principles of flight did. By definition, the voluntary cooperation of the free market means buyers and/or sellers do not have to buy or sell ANYTHING. It works on one's own best interests regardless of what the other guy does.

In the meantime, there is no such thing as free trade that is also fair trade. The two are diametrically opposed. "Free" means no government interference and "fair" mean government command and control. Wanting "fair" trade means you don't want or believe in free trade or the free market.

But don't tell me that like the principles of flight, that the principles of the free market don't exist. The free market is wealth waiting to happen. America in the 1800's is a good example of the free market, the feds being around 5% of the GDP, not a factor in the marketplace that was free from government interference. It existed then and does and can now and it DOES NOT depend on what China or anyone else does.

You fail to understand that it doesn't matter how oppressive other countries can be about their own trade rules. We can exercise our free market trading and come out ahead no matter what they other guys does.