[sinkspur]

This protectionist policy will cost thousands of Americans their jobs, will raise the cost of living for the rest of us, and may have seriously set back the cause of free trade--the single most important economic underpinning of prosperity for nations in a global economy.

This overwrought handwringing from the duPont's of the world is funny.

This is a THREE YEAR DEAL.

Bush kept his promise to the steel workers (he DID make a promise to them, you know).

If it's not working, in three years he can remove it.

It remains to be seen if there will, in fact be "thousands" of Americans losing their jobs.

[Arleigh]

This overwrought handwringing from the duPont's of the world is funny.

Almost as funny as Jorge Bush, the Last Republican Ever Elected President. He'll join Zachary Taylor (the last Whig) and John Quincy Adams (last Federalist) in the history books.

[Inspector Harry Callahan]

Read Section 7 and 8 in the Constitution. Where does the Executive Branch get off imposing tariffs?

Section 7. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives....
Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises....

Serious question. Where does Bush find the authority to impose a tariff on imported steel?

[logician2u]

Maybe you can explain to me exactly what you meant by "if it isn't working?"

Isn't the purpose of protecting the U.S. steel industry to let it behave as it historically has, i.e., with less efficiency than its foreign competition?

Then, if that's the case, removing the tariffs after three years would put the industry in a bigger bind than it is in currently. You know the extra breathing room Bush is giving them will soon be taken up in higher wages and benefits. Those companies showing a positive earnings outlook after counting for that 20% price advantage will either have to please their stockholders by investing in capital equipment or yield to union pressure for a wage hike. (My bet's on the union, as I suspect yours is also.)

So what has been gained other than maybe a few -- darned few -- union votes in the rust belt?

Three years from now, expect the tariffs to continue.