No, here is what I think. Protectionism stinks. It isn’t conservative, it breeds horrendous inefficiency (see the big 3 automakers of the 70’s cranking out garbage), and it isn’t the answer to making America more competitive.
You want to make America the world’s engine of economic growth and job creation, you CUT taxes, slash regulation, continue the advance of right to work legislation, etc.
What Trump is spouting is NOT at all conservative. Tariffs, higher taxes, etc, are the stuff that makes unions smile and guys like Bernie Sanders think Trump is stealing his campaign issues.
Left to some of the protectionists on this forum we’d still be driving the trash GM, Chrysler and Ford were churning out. The only reason their product got better is because of competition.
Trump is not a conservative. Period. Populist protectionism is NOT conservatism.
It’s not just the taxes... It’s the Slave Labor wage... It’s the regulations too.
Have to admit, I was once there too until I found out what was really happening.
Our Republic since its inception had tariffs in it all the way up until 1996.
Every president from George Washington up to Bill Clinton had tariffs. We were the leaders of the free world and became a Super Power.
So according to you all the previous Presidents were all “Protectionist” and this was bad for the United States. In other words the United States was on the wrong path from 1787 to 1996?
What is the opposite of the word protection? Here are some words for you.
Unprotected, exposed, threat, danger, insecurity, uncertainty, harm, injury, destruction, doubt and attack.
So wanting to protect the Untied States, from being unprotected, exposed, threat, danger, insecurity, uncertainty, harm, injury, destruction, doubt, attack, etc...., to be the leaders of the free world and the loan super power is a bad thing????
Oh I know according to the Clinton’s, the Bush’s and Obama that is the case. According to these guys every U.S. President from George Washington down.... up to Bill Clinton were all wrong on Tariffs.
Let’s talk Ronald Reagan....
You do know that Reagan told Japan and European car companies they can avoid tariffs if you build your car plants here in the United States. Reagan used tariffs as advantage to bring jobs to the United States. Guess what Toyotta, BMW, etc... all came here.
Free trade is only good IF everyone is playing by the same rules. Right now here are the facts.
1) The United States STILL PAYS TARIFFS while at the very same time China and Mexico do not. How is that not rigged?
2) China can manipulate currency with no type of punishment. How is that not rigged?
3) China, Mexico and the rest of the world are exempt from federal regulations while U.S. companies have to comply ONLY in the United States. How is that not rigged?
4) United States companies pay a higher capital gains in order to encourage them to leave the United States. That way we can import lower prices. How is that not rigged?
5) We import Engineers from China and India to replace American workers at lower cost. Google what Disney did recently to their I.T. department. The American workers had to train their foreign replacements , here in the United States for 1/3 the cost. While at the same time we export Engineer students from M.I.T., Georgia Tech, etc... to places like China and India. How is that not rigged?
6) In addition we now have open borders(never done before until this year, and allow illegal immigrants to welfare, free housing, free health care and free education. No other country in the world does this except us. This is being done in order to drive wages down. How is that not rigged?
This is what guys like Obama, the Bush’s and the Clinton’s think is great for America.
If you are still not certain, then ask yourself this question?
Was the United States a stronger country with tariffs from 1945 to 1996 than without tariffs from 1997 to 2015?