Does history mean nothing? Tariffs brought us the great depression, started by a businessman who became President.
Also brought us the “The Great Society”
The federal income tax was also a gift of trade protection. Republicans agreed to support the 16th Amendment in return for democrat support of the Payne Aldrich tariff they so desperately wanted. Trade protection has consistently screwed the economy, the taxpayer, and the consumer. Yet conservatives on this thread demand more of it. Go figure.
Wrong...Please read...
http://americastradepolicy.com/did-the-smoot-hawley-tariff-cause-the-great-depression/#.VseAhuaLXFl
The big problem with Smoot-Hawley Tariff Bill was that US export income was pretty close in value to US import value...When we raised to tariff on imported goods, the foreign countries also raised theirs...It served no purpose...
Today, our export income is 6 times lower than US import value...