[Cronos]

For the first 200 years America had various forms of protectionist policies. During that time we became the strongest nation on earth, with a middle-class the envy of the world. BTW, the Republican Party platforms included tariffs for a century.

The implicit conclusion that protectionist policies were the sole reason for us becoming the strongest nation on earth is incorrect, wrong, false etc. One CANNOT forget the other factors viz. we had a huge immigrant boom, we expanded to the West, we quadrupled in size, we stuck out of silly European wars, WWI and II happened during which we did not interfere until crucial turning points and our war economy boomed, we stayed capitalistic when the countries we now compete with flirted with socialism.

Why do I bring this up? Because I don't think the reason why we're in this state is so simplistic, nor is the solution so simplistic as to involve purely protectionism. Don't forget that China and India and Russia were fiercely protectionist until the 80s and 90s but when they opened up, they've boomed. And they have opened up now. Whatever tariffs etc. they have NOW is nothing compared to what they had earlier. We can beat this downturn and we WILL beat it, but to give a simplistic solution to a complex problem is not the way.

[LibertyAndJusticeForAll]

I believe that protectionist policies are ONLY PART of the reason why we became the strongest nation on earth, NOT the ONLY reason. Just as I believe that TODAY it is ONLY PART of the answer. I refer you to harpseal's list of 13 excellent ideas; ONLY 2 involve protectionism. That's 2 out of 13! See harpseal's profile page.

As a Christian Conservative I am more likely to imply that America's deep religious convictions had more to do with our becoming the strongest nation on earth than any trade policy. However, it cannot be denied that America, once upon a time, took measures to protect it's middle-class, it's workforce and it's small businesses; and that these efforts met with very good results.
Today, many of America's small and mid-sized manufacturers are dying because of a lopsided so-called "free trade" policy that is nothing like free trade. It is unfair trade and our gigantic trade deficit is more evidence of how lopsided it is.
Furniture and textile companies 100 years old cannot compete with the slave wages of the PRC, not to mention the 40% devalued yuan, or China's and India's tariffs.
The PRC has an economic warfare strategy of dumping their goods with the express purpose of driving-out American competition. This was admitted openly by 2 PRC senior officers. It is also rather obvious.
Our own Bush administration admits that the mounting job losses are unacceptable; 2.7 million in manufacturing alone.
Furthermore, in post #22 I list just some of the links that support my reasoning.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/996809/posts?page=22#22