Y’all keep electing Democrats and this is what you get.
Many Republicans were in on the trade deals that caused this, including Bush and Newt.
And many Freepers agreed, citing lower prices and "benefits to the consumers". Here is a sample from the debates that were going on at FR around that time.
Does Wal Mart Mislead On What It Imports From China?
Post 2, "And the reason that I should lay awake nights worrying about what Wal-Mart imports is???"
Post 5, "Maybe. Why do I care? Is it illegal? Immoral? Unconstitutional? Would I get a better deal otherwise?"
Post 9, "yeah whatever....just go ahead and bash WalMart. This is how the world works and I kind of like the low prices myself...."
Post 30, "but the pseudo communists always come out of the woodwork in a WalMart thread...." (you have to follow the thread to get this one).
Post 56, "Why is this even important? Why should we care what % of their inventory they import whether it be from China or any other country?"
Post 79, "Translation: I won't answer this because my answer would call for protectionism and this would lead to another debacle along the lines of that which occurred when Smoot-Hawley was enacted to "fix" the economy in the 1930's."
Post 94, in reply to post 79 above, "That sums up the mindset of the Wal-Mart bashing brigade here."
China June trade surplus swells five-fold
Post 255, "Why should I pay higher prices for any item, just to satisfy someone else's concept of fair trade."
Post 287, "This applies to the anti-free traders also. USA - we've got ours, screw you. No you can't have access to our markets, we want to keep you poor."
Post 301, "So far I have been accused of being a communist chinese plant to influence Free Republic for taking the free trade position. (So far) Now Free Trade advocates are being lumped with the Islamofacists? I'm building quite the resume!"