[Red Jones]

we pay for those goods with money, it is not a gift. our ability to pay for it is partly financed by the very large amount of debt that people in america have. It is an unsustainable transfer of wealth. We need to value the supply side of our economy. Without production we cannot consume. As our ability to produce is exported we are not replacing it, many americans are merely borrowing money to pay the bills as well. it spells trouble.

on top of that china is potentially dangerous, we could be merely enabling a monster. We shouldn't forget that china invaded tibet and killed 25% of its people, that current chinese ruling regime killed 50 million or more of its own people, that they publicly state they want to take taiwan with force, that they have human rights problems domestically, etc. The free trade ideologies that say we profit no matter who we trade with and no matter how bad the mercantilism from the other side is are false.

[CanadianFella]

You ignore the role of services as a wealth-generating activity in a modern economy. Already, 80% of American GDP is based on services.
You also need to see that since the USD is legal tender in the States only, any US dollars that flow out will eventually return through imports of US goods&services or as investment.
Last, any country that imposes tariffs hurts itself much more than the country that it supposedly 'punishes'. Retaliating with tariffs for any reason is just about the worst thing a country could do.