[hedgetrimmer]

Politicians, especially on the international scene,will never allow "free trade" to exist because they are making out like bandits with all the tax dollar giveaways to coerce them into signing "free trade' agreements. So arguing for "free trade" is an exercise in futility.

[Gunslingr3]

Politicians, especially on the international scene,will never allow "free trade" to exist because they are making out like bandits with all the tax dollar giveaways to coerce them into signing "free trade' agreements. So arguing for "free trade" is an exercise in futility

Is arguing for an end to welfare an exercise in futility?

[explodingspleen]

hedgetrimmer

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1094376/posts?page=15#15

Bush signed off on steel tariffs. He is hardly what I would call an exemplary free-trade advocate.

Politicians, especially on the international scene,will never allow "free trade" to exist because they are making out like bandits with all the tax dollar giveaways to coerce them into signing "free trade' agreements. So arguing for "free trade" is an exercise in futility.

Then, naturally, so is arguing against it.

Willie Green

I'm not sure why you're saying "horse puckey" when, based on the rest of your reply, I suspect we'd generally be in agreement on this issue. For instance, while you've neglected the economic impact of our bloated regulatory bureaucracy, I do agree that a shift in our tax policy is in order. The federal government should implement a relatively low, flat-rate "revenue tariff" on ALL imported goods while simultaneously reducing the corporate income tax to promote domestic industries and production.

Huh? Who are they producing for? Once you pass your tariff other countries are going to pass retaliatory tariffs and you can say bye-bye to your exports.

The personal income tax isn't a "barrier" to trade, but it is a shackle placed on our own domestic work force.

It's a barrier in as much as it increases the cost of goods.