The article is a call for economic autarky and heavy tariffs. It ignores the benefits of international competition in order to promote internally-directed investment. There are good points to both sides. US workers will not compete with Chinese ones given the wage differentials, but US companies will not compete with other US companies to make better or innovative products.
He also ignores monetary policies, such as government debt, floating currencies, and government-directed investments.
A $500 iPad vs a $1000 and non-existent Zenith touch screen? A Toyota or a Vega? US or CHinese rare earth metals?
At the most off shoring manufacturing saves a few pennies on the dollar. For that we get high unemployment, malaise and decrease security due to a smaller manufacturing base to support the military. “Free trade” is a failure except for the the few.
Just to clarify. If I’m not mistaken, a few years ago the Toyota Avalon was rated to have the highest percent of US components. In short, tariffs would simply force foreign companies to produce on to US soil. It’s the reverse logic of moving to companies of China. Tariffs turn the wage differential on its head.