Replies

The effects of teh Smoot Hawley tariff were relatively minor one way or the other and it actually had some positive effects.

You are certainly welcome to have your little version of history. I'm not one who goes around pretending to be an expert. If you want to mock Jack Ryan, who went to Dartmouth and HBS and is 70 million dollars richer from practicing economics, and other folks who know what they're talking about, in favor of Pat Buchanan, or yourself -- well, forgive me if I don't consider you an authority.

The crowning folly of the Hoover administration was the Smoot-Hawley Tariff, passed in June 1930. It came on top of the Fordney-McCumber Tariff of 1922, which had already put American agriculture in a tailspin during the preceding decade. The most protectionist legislation in U. S. history, Smoot-Hawley virtually closed the borders to foreign goods and ignited a vicious international trade war.

Excuse me the 1920's were normally regarded as a time of an expanding American Economy and the Fordney-McCumber tariff was given much of the credit for that. Now as to your qupting some propagandist for "Free Trade" when dicussing history I would suggest you learn some hiostory prior to doing so. Now since foreign trade was at most four percent of the economy please inform me how the actual decrease in foreign trade which was well in place prior to the Smoot Hawley tariffs taking effect lengthened the Great Depression. Show an econometric analysis which backs up this view. Jack Ryan may well be the best candidate for this office but as I stated he has not shown a knowledge of economic history or economics other than spouting the current mantras.

I further point out NO Conservative supports any bill that restricts the Second Ammendment.

I realize Illinois is a state where Conservatives have to take what they can get but do not state this gentleman is a rock solid Conservative with these views and do not misstate economic history.

Did Ryan have a basis for his statement based on reading the conclusions of many reputable economists? Clearly yes. Did that statement show a knowledge of the actual facts. Clearly, No.

Your mistaterments of history do little to help your preffered candidate and do much to harm him. Why do you persist? Are you actually a Democrat trying to hurt the Republican candidate? Are you merely another shill who will sacrifice every other principle in order to maintain the current fraud caled Free Trade which is merely a set of trade policies designed to discourage investment in the USA in favor of investment in "developing countries" and sociailist economies.