Replies

The problem with that approach is that it is overly simplistic. It doesn't make any sense to compare a tariff on dairy products to tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Any country whose leaders have half a brain will go to great lengths to protect their domestic agricultural industries -- for obvious reasons. That's why agricultural products aren't covered by many trade agreements -- including NAFTA (which is why Canada can impose a 200% tariff on dairy products without violating the terms of NAFTA).

Okay...

By why should we agree to this when it hurts OUR farmers?

I respect Canadian farmers, but not at the expense of American farmers.

The idea of free trade has to supply across the board, or it really doesn’t exist. I think we should strive for fairness to our farmers as we do for our steel workers or steel industry.

The whole idea of free trade is to promote the best price for the consumer and therefore promote industry between countries.

In the end, a 200% tariff on American dairy products might help Canadian farmers (at the expense of American farmers) but also hurts Canadian consumers.

Steel and aluminum are industries needed for defense. Ag and food also. China, India, Canada and many other countries ignore our patents and copyrights. Anyone who thinks global trade is anything but lawless is a fool. The rest of the world is mercantilist and has been waging trade war for 50 years and thought it was one.

That's very true... but still I am thinking it's the simplistic we are trying to educate. And you are right, we are not trading the same products equally. BUT, if Trump proclaims we will match Germany's tariff on automobiles, it is less dicey than trying to explain the how it's unfair they charge us 10% while we only charge them 2.5%; we would like Germany to lower them but if they won't we will increase ours. Now cue the panic, OMG he just said we were going to increase our tariffs, kill all industry and raise the cost of cars and washing machines!!!
It's harder to argue about "matching". In sales, people immediately jump on buy one, get one deals, but have to contemplate 50% off. I'm not sure why, but that bears out every time. I'm trying to figure out how to appeal the those people. If the morons bashing Trump on MSM have to say "Trump says he is going to match automobile tariffs." instead of "Trump says he is going to increase automobile tariffs." maybe even they can understand what is going on.
Speaking of agriculture protectionism, the EU has some ridiculous exceptions on what produce can be imported. The whole bananas-cannot-be-too-curved crap was basically a way to NOT import US bananas but continue with those from their favored Caribbean countries. While the curvy US bananas can, technically, be imported, they are considered B grade and are used for processing. That's not going to be top dollar which seems a little like a subversive tariff.