Effective trade policy is not about being "free" or "fair." It is about creating advantages for those who invest and produce in America, against those who work anywhere else. This is the only way to provide maximum opportunities for Americans to prosper and to assure that "the state of the nation is strong."
... Hmmmm just wondering who decides what, which and how these 'advantages' will be chosen ... and then to whom/how should these objectives then be offered and to (which) investors? And who decides which current domestic producers get nationalistic protection?
Oh! And nationalism in general is such a great thing! The Dutch get mentioned - perfect! I think the low lands have been Europe's battle field for centuries...and mostly between nation states!
Free trade is more antidote to war than economic nationalism.
So when is this purported 'healing balm' going to be enforced against the PRC and its manifestly unfree-trade ways which the free traders cast blind eyes upon?
The fact is, fire needs to be fought with fire.