Nowadays the government relies on taxes. But once upon a time, tariffs played an important role in funding government expenditures and in directing agricultural and industrial growth in this country. It might not be so bad to get back to the wider use of tariffs — some might see it as “protectionist” but maybe we need a little protecting. And it certainly doesn’t go against the vision of our Founding Fathers.
My first car was a Ford Pinto(went on strike for 6 months 1976). My last (and only other) American car was a Geo Prism(a Toyoda Corolla.) There must be a better way of successful american products than being at the mercy of a few companies and UAW. WE cannot compete if we cant get to work like in 1970s, like East Germany till Japanese saved us. Lasty, Japan is our BEST ally.
Developing countries (Such as the US at the time of its founding) may need protecting but not the world’s only superpower.
Something is very wrong when our best math students look like idiots compared to the rest of the world. Tariffs merely hide our fundamental weaknesses, but not for very long.
I hold a doctorate in statistics from one of the top three departments in the world. My thesis was written under the supervision of a former chair of the University of Chicago department of statistics. I have hobnobbed with nobel laureates and assorted historical persons, some who are knighted MBE.
The reason I say all this is not to boast but to get you to believe that I have done my homework thoroughly to understand the solution to the topic of this thread is written into H.R. 25, the FairTax legislation (http://www.fairtax.org).
If you are really truly interested in the topic of this thread, then:
1. Study the link I gave above, especially the FAQ.
2. Study the history of taxation in American beginning with the Founder’s rationale and basis for taxation.
3. Study the rise of the Income tax beginning in the Civil War, its development and culmination in the 16th Amendment including key judicial rulings before 1913.
4. Study the five major tax reforms since 1913 and why they have each failed.
5. Understand as completely as possible the existence of federal embedded taxes in the prices of retail products and services.
6. Study the historical flaw of the regressive excise taxes used to fund America before 1913. Understand how this led to class warfare and Marxist populism.
7. Understand how the ‘Rebate’ of H.R. 25 corrects the flaw in item 6 above and why it was not possible to implement in 1913 or thereafter until only recently.
If you study and begin to understand the items above, you will be on your way to answering how the American manufacturing base can experience a great revival by an immediate 20+% drop in the price of American goods and services exported abroad, making it hugely competitive on a global scale. All of this is possible and practically done through real true tax reform in H.R. 25.
We're a “service economy” now. We make only lawyers. We have laws for every little petty thing you can imagine.
Even if they bring the jobs back here they will be filled by illegals and H1B Visa holders.