California-based Apple to build $210-million new manufacturing plant. In China

Orange Punch the political commentary blog of the Orange County Register ^ | 5-21-2012 | Mark Landsbaum

[dennisw]

Anyone who wants the government to regulate trade is calling for "big government." It can be nothing else.

Then how do you explain the high tariffs we had prior to 1913? We also had a much smaller Federal Gov't prior to 1913 with no Federal income tax and no Federal Reserve (a private bank) Those tariffs went a long way towards funding that smaller Federal Gov't along with tobacco and alcohol taxes

 

[antiRepublicrat]

This is slavery where you have to pay the boss rent!

This isn't Saudi Arabia where they take your passport and you're a virtual slave, this isn't a Florida orange grove where hovels are provided for illegals and food and supplies (the only ones around for miles) are so expensive the net income is about zero. It's all above the board with Chinese citizens who can earn enough to return home with a nest egg.

How do you go to a school board meeting, or a city council meeting when you work those hours? How do you raise your children if you’re an absentee parent always at ‘work’?

I didn't say it was for everybody. OTOH, stressful 80+ hour weeks with poor living and working conditions remind me of something I had no problem doing when I was single -- the Army. And I even got to get shot at, too. How did I make it to school board meetings while I was in the field for half the year? Didn't have to, no family. How did I make it to a city council meeting when deployed overseas? I didn't. My neighbor is in the Army, often gone for 12 hour days, or 18-month tours. His kids manage with the absentee parent.

[BfloGuy]

Those tariffs went a long way towards funding that smaller Federal Gov't along with tobacco and alcohol taxes

Oh, if you plan to get rid of the IRS and the income tax code, then the size of government would certainly be reduced and the economic drag caused by tariffs might well be offset.

Now, I am well aware of the Constitution's endorsement of tariffs. But it's important to remember that mercantilism was the predominant economic theory of the time [it took a few decades for Adam Smith's lessons to sink in] and it is clear that, despite their revenue-raising abilities, they were often used by Congress-critters to protect favored industries and constituents.

That tariffs are constitutional and were favored by the Founders does not make them economically sensible. But if you succeed in abolishing the income tax, I will certainly think hard about supporting your tariff proposal :)

[BfloGuy]

I wrote a long, long rebuttal to your latest comment, but what's the point?

You are not in the least bit interested in individual freedom or economics. I'm sure you think you know what your views on the Constitution are, but you can't explain them.

All you're interested in, apparently, is calling me a communist. I don't really see any point of continuing this.