“Protectionism kills”
The USA experienced one of the fastest rates of economic and industrial expansion the world has ever seen from the end of the Civil War into the 20th century. Tariffs were very high during the 19th century and early 20th century. In fact, tariffs and duties funded the cost of the federal government until the 16th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in 1913.
The USA has experienced a significant loss of manufacturing infrastructure, loss of middle class jobs, and a declining standard of living for the first time in its history during the two decades of the globalist free trade experiment (NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO, etc.). Plus the deindustrialization of the US has allowed China to emerge quickly as an economic and military rival of the US, threatening our national security.
History shows protectionism worked for the US historically and works for China today. Free trade has been an economic disaster for the middle class and a windfall for the elites in government and on Wall Street.
We’ve tried “free trade” with mercantilist nations for over 2 decades and it has failed to enhance the US economy. Time to go back to high tariffs and more manufacturing jobs.