[JohnnyZ]

So the pre-WWII Great Depression economy is this guy's idea of how things ought to be? Protectionism and isolationism are great ways to let the rest of the world leapfrog over you in terms of growth and economic activity.

[samuel_adams_us]

Have they ever leap frogged us in the last 200 years?

[Mulder]

Protectionism and isolationism are great ways to let the rest of the world leapfrog over you in terms of growth and economic activity.

Why should dictators pay a 0% tax for selling their products here while Joe Six-pack has to pay a 30% tax on his labor to generate products to compete with the importated goods.

If you really want "free trade", then great. Let's get to it. Abolish all taxes on the trade of labor in this country. All abolish all taxes on the sale of stocks, real estate, goods, and services.

But you'll never hear that from the Klinton/Bush/Gore/Dole politicians, since their "free trade" has little to do with freedom and everything to do with destroying economic barriers so that political barriers are more easily destroyed.