Protected, Goverment approved brands would be anything and everything made in the U.S., by American workers...And it wouldn't affect any money moving out of the U.S...People would still be free to move any or all of their money out of the U.S...
The question is; is it still worthwhile for a company to make and sell American made goods in America...I'd say definitely so...If it turns out that excessive regulations prevent a certain good(s) from being available to the general public, pressure on Washington would be so great that there would be an immediate cessation of those regulations...
The thing that controls prices is competition...Something innovative Americans are very good at...
and if government got out of the way they'd compete again like they did in the olden days
Respectfully no, Iscool.
You can't claim that competition controls prices if there's a tariff on foreign goods.
Once you protect domestic industry you don't get a competitive industry. You get a feather-bedded industry that no longer needs to compete on the world stage, a toxic increase of Government, and domestic consumers who are cost-pushed to buy the uncompetitive domestic product.
And with Government 'protecting' domestic industry you also get a) picking of winners and losers and b) protection of unionized industries and campaign-contributors only.
A good historical example here is British Leyland, a major UK car manufacturer that was 'protected' by tariffs. It didn't magically get better - it got worse until it crashed and burnt. Its slow-motion demise cost the taxpayers an arm and a leg.
A good modern example here is GM. The major US car manufacturer (and union pensions provider!) that was 'protected' using the non-tariff remedies of massive, illegal Government debt-forgiveness and contract awards. Has GM cars magically got better thanks to the 'helping hand of Government'? I think we all know the answer to that.