re: Milton Friedman quotes on protective tariffs

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I don't think you can fix it, were better off letting those bloodlines die out

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I disagree. They’re a shot ton of menial jobs. It is just more convenient for that portion of the population to get paid for staying home.

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But for such governmental input, does such an evolution occur?

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You will not get an answer to this question from the ‘free trade’ absolutists. They ignore the cause and effect of the welfare state and pretend it never happened.

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They ignore the cause and effect of the welfare state

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Absolutely not, but corporate protectionism is just as bad.

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Absolutely not, but corporate protectionism is just as bad.

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Cool, so how’s your crusade to end the welfare state going? Seeing a lot of progress?

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Cool, so how’s your crusade to end the welfare state going?



Not sure what you mean

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That has nothing to do with

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Do you only support issues you can personally impact?

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Some people want to put the pressure and screws to the communists that are enacting human rights abuses and destabilizing the Pacific.

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Like we did to Russia when they invaded Ukraine? I remember when the Potsto said their economy would collapse in a few months. Still hasn’t worked.

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None of you will acknowledge that it is a 2 way street. They (communist nations) have had more of an effect on the USA society and influence on how we are governed.

Opposite actually. Cultural intrusion is a big part of why the USSR failed. Would have never happened had cultural mixing not occurred. The same proves is playing out in China today. You’re just too ignorant to know it. I’ve seen it first hand.

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I never once mentioned cultural.

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ESG is a CCP creation. I can list business after business that literally have implemented the CCP ideals into our society.

Maybe, but it’s 2023. Calling for social isolation isn’t going to be practical.

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Nobody called for isolationism of any kind.

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If cultural isolationism works so well, why isn’t N Korea successful?

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Has nothing to do with what I stated.

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They ignore the cause and effect of the welfare state and pretend it never happened.

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You don't try to fix government failure by adding more government.

Free trade types want less socialism (reducing welfare and redistributive policies)

First of all, ALL taxes are bad.

But if we have to live with taxes to fund the federal government this debate is about what are the best form of taxes to accomplish that goal and at the same time not hinder but maximize economic growth.

Sure there is an valid argument against tariffs. There is also a valid argument against income taxes, capital gains taxes, payroll taxes, etc. When either form of tax is used where high economic entropy exists it becomes detrimental to the national economy. The opposite is true when a tax is applied appropriately. Seek low economic entropy and apply taxes appropriately. Blanket policies against any form of economic tool weakens the position for the economic leaders that have to implement economic policy.

Let me give you an example how tariffs worked when Trump applied them to Aluminum and steel.

The economic consensus after the tariffs were applied on Aluminum and steel was that import prices would increase. But the opposite happened. Why? The BLS attributes it to lower fuel prices (because of Trump's energy policies) as shown below. But I would argue it is more than that. The People Bank of China and European Central Bank responded to U.S. tariffs on imported Aluminum and steel with manipulating their currency. They printed. Foreign bank currency manipulation in response to just tariffs on Aluminum and steel and a corresponding stronger dollar decreased import prices.



As you can see these tariffs were applied appropriately. They accomplished two goals: protected industry for national security reasons and best of all it strengthened the dollar due to foreign currency manipulation making your dollar more valuable.

It's about balance. Of course tariffs can be bad if misapplied. They also can serve as an important economic tool for the benefit of a nation when applied with that goal in mind.