The challenge for conservatives is to determine what change to embrace.
I see that some of the discussion between you and central_va is about trade and protectionism. For much of my life I hadn't given much thought to this issue, because I was not deeply involved in trade other than buying goods sold in stores locally.
But back in 1996, when Patrick Buchanan was running for the Nomination, he made a point which has stuck with me since then.
He said something to the effect that: "American companies have to comply with all sorts of mandates placed upon them by the Federal and State governments in this country. They have wage standards, they have safety standards, they have pollution standards, they have to pay taxes and fees in this nation. Foreign competition often has none of these same burdens to carry when manufacturing their products.
The United States should have a policy of reciprocity in which only those foreign companies which match US burdens on business should be allowed to import with low tariff fees. Those which do not meet US standards for protection of their labor and such, should be facing a higher tariff to import products into this country.
This would serve the purpose of making foreign companies compete on a more equal footing with American workers. It would remove some of the advantageous foreign companies have in not having to comply with US and State laws and regulations in this nation.
I have yet to see a flaw in his argument. Do you see one?
No flaw that I can see. I would add that you could theoretical remove all taxes and regulations in the USA and Americans could never compete with 3rd world labor rates. So their must be a tariff, or de industrialize and become China’s bitch.
I should have posted "there must be".
The flaw is that other countries were not to the place they could make all the changes desired.
The thought is going to be realized by President Trump. It has been 20 years since Pat made those pronouncements. They were pie in the sky at the time, 1930’s thinking. Pat was and I think still is , a 1930’s Republican. Since then there has been tremendous change and advancement in the world. The magnitude and effect of that change is either unknown or ignored by many. That’s why I recommended the Korean Netflix TV series “Incomplete Life”.
President Trump is not like Pat Buchanan, unrealistically naive, he knows the score. He knows the change will permit some of the gross protectionism to be relaxed and eliminated. His task is to carefully select and then make deals that are realistically possible.