Ok, you are not liar but the fact that we tariff some things is irrelevant the overall discussion. The USA is being used and has one of the lowest effective tariff rates in the world.
Yes, we are being used in many cases. In others, we are self-inflicting damage.
One of my peeves: the US sugar lobby is one of the most powerful in DC. The USA could be awash in cheap sugar from Brazil, for example. Instead, sugar tariffs make it so many domestic manufacturers opt for corn syrup as a sweetener.
Corn syrup is a scourge upon this nation! It is poison to the body! It is a serious health policy issue that is being completely ignored because a powerful lobby has bought off Congress and instituted a "pro-American" tariff. I don't want corn syrup in my food!
And, there is also the aesthetic issue -- anyone who has tasted Coca-Cola manufactured in Mexico with real sugar versus the corn-syrup Coca-Cola made here, never goes back.