Posted on 03/19/2002 5:46:41 PM PST by oursacredhonor
He couldn't be more right.
Combining this overcapacity with subsidies by their governments makes the playing field off-level for our workers, who are also facing the fact that their multinational corporate owners prefer to move their jobs overseas. Once overseas, then these same companies sell the product that Americans used to make here in America. Imposing tariffs on things like this will serve to keep those jobs here in the US.
Rep Paul is pandering to the Libertarians and the 'Rats on this one, and his reaction is for the press - typically knee jerk in fashion IMHO. What was once an "America First" and "Constitution First" type of representative is turning into a "me first" one. Too bad he doesn't bother to research what he says before saying it.
Until the rest of the world plays fairly - by removing their subsidies, removing the tariffs imposed upon American goods, and truly trading freely and fairly, tariffs are in our national interest. Mr Bush was RIGHT, Rep Paul is WRONG.
I agree:
Bush's action's are a step in the right direction, but still inadequate due to inconsistancy.
The optimal solution is a relatively low, across-the-board revenue tariff of 10-20% on ALL imported goods from ALL foreign countries.
"Targeted" tariffs have the disadvantage of providing loopholes and, as others will be quick to point out, the potential to hurt other domestic industries.
A prime example is our failed embargo on the importation of Cuban goods. Cuban sugar has been routinely imported to the U.S. through the back door: Canada. Cuban sugar is shipped to Canada where it is dissolved in molasass. "Canadian" molasass is then legally imported to the U.S. where the sugar is easily refined back out. The leftover molasass is then exported back to Canada where the cycle is repeated. Large sugar-users (such as candy makers) are also closing their domestic factories and moving to Canada where they can legally use Cuban sugar, then import it as candy to the U.S.
An across-the-board revenue tariff of 10-20% would circumvent this type of abuse. Additionally, the revenue could be used to offset a major reduction or elimination of the corporate income tax, providing domestic producers a more "level playing field". (A Proposal to Abolish the Corporate Income Tax)
From a historical perspective, a revenue tariff of 10-20% is NOT excessive:
I doubt it. Developing nations are exempt from the tariff. We'll see their exports to us increase. This tariff is helping developing countries more than the USA in fact. Our mills have raised prices already so now foreign manufacturers have a decided edge over Americans. UAW and other jobs will be lost.
I merely quoted the only statement worth repeating.
Ron Paul is capable of making his own perversions.
You quoted a retorical question posed by Congressman Paul. Your methods of debate are almost as despicable as your intelligence level on matters of international trade.
Now I want everyone that thinks our current foreign steel suppliers (Russia, China, Europe, Japan, et al.) will still be our good buds 10, 20, 50 years from now, willing to sell us their steel at bargain basement prices, to raise their hands. Come on all you crystal ball gazers.
I think taking the pure libertarian position on this issue is shortsighted and dangerous to our long term national security. I'll bet China and Brazil can build lots of our military hardware cheaper than we can build it here, but everyone would agree that would be crazy. I think the steel industry is important enough that we can't afford to let it die.
You shouldn't allow envy to make you so hateful.
Are you really that ignorant? Do you really believe that we would go barefoot just because one country decides to stop selling us shoes? Personally, I pray the Chinese stop selling us shoes. I've got some capital I'm itching to plow into scarce commodities with high demand. Aren't you?
This is the iron law of economics that the corrupt, unionized, inefficient U.S. steel industry has been breaking itself against for the last 50 years.
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