Posted on 10/14/2005 12:36:22 PM PDT by wjersey
While OPEC and some other producers play out their mercantilist fantasies, trying to use commodities to enhance their political leverage, the US position has typically been to avoid playing anyone's game, to break down trade empires, to force open closed markets, and to break down blockades (with some notable exceptions having usually to do with "pariah" nations).
We are often called an "empire" but in reality we are the 'un'-empire. We keep getting in the way of empires who are trying to birth themselves.
LOL funny pic
Oooooo! A phone battle! I'll bet they called in their entire military to fight this one!
Let's thank them for reaching out and touching us by sending them all our Mexicans. Canadia doesn't have enough diversity.
I say we ban hockey in this country as too violent. Then let the Canucks play in Saskatoon, Moose Head, Lethbridge and Ottawa. The league will go the same way as Canadian Football with it's stupid three downs, you're out.
"So I think your argument is that because we buy so much from overseas relative to how much we sell then we can have tarrifs without fear of retaliation."
My argument is that just because we impose fines on a percentage of trade with a given country does not mean we cannot thus claim to be advocates of free trade. The fact is that trade with Canada has boomed over the past decade+, with the United States consuming all but a minority of Canadian exports. Our markets are incredibly open to their goods, and compared to most other nations our barriers/fees on exports from other nations are small.
I'd argue the tariffs are significant. And the net result is just the same as a tax. The American government collects the money home buyers pay more. But this is worse than a tax because it does everything a tax does plus invites retaliation.
"The 12.6 percent duty will be added to the 19.3 percent tariff put on Canadian softwood lumber in August"
"The U.S. lumber industry had been pressing for tariffs, saying they're needed to save jobs, while opponents say they will drive up prices of wood products for U.S. consumers. An economist for a homebuilders group says the two tariffs would add about $1,500 to the price of an average home."
http://forests.org/archive/canada/imwoodta.htm
I got it from a very funny Canadian cousin.
Besides softwood Canada has an overabundance of comedians.
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