Posted on 03/24/2016 4:49:45 AM PDT by IBD editorial writer
Protectionism: Officially, the Republican Party is pro-free trade. But it has done a remarkably bad job of explaining the benefits of trade to its rank and file, as exit polls of primary voters depressingly show.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
Free trade is the tool to redistribute Americas wealth to 3rd world countries.
The left uses high taxes and regulations to drive companies to move their manufacturing to other countries.
I’m sure the politicians who areinvolved in this are well compensated for their action.
It’s not “free trade” when the trading “partner” erects import barriers. If the result of all these “free trade” agreements has been monstrous trade deficits with all our trading “partners” how do Americans benefit?
When the Bushies robbed the GOP from Pat Buchanan & Ross Perot.
when trading partners exploit the US and cost the nation jobs and economic well being. Free trade is only for when the ground if level on both sides.
Republican Party Platform, 1860
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=29620
...12. That, while providing revenue for the support of the general government by duties upon imports, sound policy requires such an adjustment of these imports as to encourage the development of the industrial interests of the whole country; and we commend that policy of national exchanges, which secures to the workingmen liberal wages, to agriculture remunerative prices, to mechanics and manufacturers an adequate reward for their skill, labor, and enterprise, and to the nation commercial prosperity and independence...
The answer- it is much easier to blame other countries for our problems and not over regulation, force unionization, taxes, and government debt which drives investment oversee.
When the Republican half of those 95,000,000 folks gave up looking for a job because there weren't any...
But it has done a remarkably bad job of explaining the benefits of trade to its rank and file.
So, far, we have masked the worst consequences of free trade by taking on massive amounts of DEBT. If it weren’t for this debt, that is essential to keeping the Entitlement state afloat, it would look just as bad (if not worse) than it did during the Great Depression.
One day, the DEBT merry-go-round will run out of steam and then it will be time to pay-the-Piper.
The GOP has sold out on ‘free trade’.
Completely so.
Nobody is looking out for America these days.
Nobody.
My standard of living is enhanced by low priced imports. It leaves me with more money to buy other stuff, including overpriced domestic stuff. It also leaves me with more money for investment. I feel no obligation to reduce my standard of living to support overpaid union thugs.
If the people of China are willing to let their government keep their standard of living low, so that I can enhance mine, I’ll take it.
Washington DC politicians and the GOP establishment gave China Most Favored Nation trade status.
In return China gave the USA the middle finger.
I do not think the GOP has become The Anti-Free Trade Party.
The Republican Party rank and file love Free Trade. It is Trump and his supporters that are tired of “Free Trade” being a one way street and destroying American manufacturing and American jobs. As Trump says, Stupid negotiators/
The GOP is fighting Trump tooth and nail.
A better question is, “after 200 years of supporting tariffs, why did the US suddenly become “a free trade country” and the answer is post-WW II ( as with post 1830 England) our military allowed us to dictate true free trade to the non-communist world. But by 1965 at the latest, our military power was either weakened or entirely focused on the Cold War and we allowed key parts of the world-—Japan, India, Europe—to again become protectionist. We are returning to our roots under Washington, Lincoln, TR, and Coolidge.
When a democrat became the front runner for the RNC nomination
Maybe it was when we took the wealthiest middle class the world had ever seen and spent 35 years whittling it down to nothing. Could be, just could be.
Your answer is similar to my answer - see #8.
The top 1% benefit. And they run the show.
How about getting rid of the highest corporate taxes in the world.
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