Americans neither want nor need a sales tax on imported goods.
So many think it’s possible to “tax foreign countries” that there will always be support for new tariffs - and angry denunciations of those who patiently explain why they can never achieve the desired objective of willing domestic competition into existence.
Chinese goods get free shipping. They are subsidized by the government. Adding a large tariff to Chinese goods is good for everyone. Firstly Chinese goods are bad for everyone. The quality sucks so they are replaced making them polluters. They are made in China, making them polluters. They are made with bad quality so there are as many bad versions of products as good versions. This huge pile of products that don’t pass quality tests mean there is more pollution. The world is better off taking away the low quality cheap marketplace from China. If they want to create goods for America they have to do it at a higher price point. Adding a 50% tariff to Chinese products is a must.
Americans neither want nor need a sales tax on imported goods.
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Yet many states are allowed to implement sales taxes, with very little commentary by free trade ideologues.
For a free trader to remain consistent on matters of taxation, he must be for abolishing all sales taxes.
Tarrifs, as well as supporting domestic industries, were the primary means of the government raising revenue before income taxes. They are the best kind of tax.