[RogueIsland]

the profound irony of calling a free-market supporter a "Socialist" while demanding in effect a Socialist solution to save us from the "evils" of open competition is too rich.

So, the fact that the Constitution of the United States of America specifically empowers the Government of the United States to set tariffs would imply, to you, that the Framers were Socialist and the Constitution itself a Socialist construct? Intriguing.

[WOSG]

The Constitution does give the Govt the power to tax.
That by itself is not Socialistic, but it does open the door to such a situation. If you dont think taxes/tariffs can be tyrannical, you've forgotten your history - namely the Boston Tea party.

As Justice Marshall said "The power to tax is the power to destroy".

If the Govt taxed our incomes at 100% and our imports at 200%, the Govt would be Socialist.
The thing is that tariffs and import quotas and regulations on commerce are the main methods by which socialism takes over a nation. So supporting tarriffs to "protect" jobs is a misnomer - actually it doesnt protect jobs, it harms consumers to benefit the chosen/favored manufacturers and foreign importers who get the 'quota' preference.

So supporting tarriffs is like feeding a tiger: BE CAREFUL, IT MIGHT TURN ON YOU.