But it is OK if the countries selling to us have trade practices that ARE not free and open?
No, it's not okay - it is impoverishing their citizenry - while rewarding the connected, the powerful, the cronies, the oligarchs. That's what protectionism does, and it's what it will do here too. Let me say that again: that's what it will do here too. The cronies and the connected will decide who gets how much protection...powerful unions, powerful industries, and their lobbyists -and all 325 million consumers get screwed.
But your question misses the main point. That's not our call, how they treat their citizens. That's not the job of US President, and that's what we ware talking about here. It's simple: It's protectionism that's cronyism - it's liberty that is the opposite.