Edmund is confusing many people that do not understand this. Have to admit, I was once there too until I found out what was really happening.
Yes conservatives agree with Milton Freeman’s philosophy, and overall like Ronald Reagan a lot. Edmound uses these names as a debate weapon to win people over that do not quite understand these agreements. He wants to play to conversations emotions. Which is a debate tactic to win people over that are not sure.
However, Edmound is discussing philosophy vs. what is actual happening in reality.
It’s kind of like the Soviet Union invoking Karl Marx philosophy, but they were not really practicing at all what they preach.
Keep in mind this too.
Our Republic since its inception had tariffs in it all the way up until 1996.
Every president from George Washington up to Bill Clinton had tariffs. We were the leaders of the free world and became a Super Power.
So according to Edmund all the previous Presidents were all “Protectionist” and this was bad for the United States. In other words the United States was on the wrong path from 1787 to 1996. That’s why he calls people “protectionist”.
What is the opposite of the word protection? Here are some words for you.
Unprotected, exposed, threat, danger, insecurity, uncertainty, harm, injury, destruction, doubt and attack.
So wanting to protect the Untied States, from being unprotected, exposed, threat, danger, insecurity, uncertainty, harm, injury, destruction, doubt, attack, etc...., to be the leaders of the free world and the loan super power is a bad thing...... according to Edmund, the Clinton’s, the Bush’s and Obama.
Edmund likes to mention Reagan....
You do know that Reagan told Japan and European car companies they can avoid tariffs if you build your car plants here in the United States. Reagan used tariffs as advantage to bring jobs to the United States. Guess what Toyotta, BMW, etc... all came here.
So don’t let Edmund confuse you about Reagan’s position on this.
Free trade is only good IF everyone is playing by the same rules. Right now here are the facts.
1) The United States STILL PAYS TARIFFS while at the very same time China and Mexico do not. How is that fair?
2) China can manipulate currency with no type of punishment. How is that fair?
3) China, Mexico and the rest of the world are exempt from federal regulations while U.S. companies have to comply ONLY in the United States.
4) United States companies pay a higher capital gains in order to encourage them to leave the United States. That way we can import lower prices. How is that fair?
5) We import Engineers from China and India to replace American workers at lower cost. Google what Disney did recently to their I.T. department. The American workers had to train their foreign replacements , here in the United States for 1/3 the cost. While at the same time we export Engineer students from M.I.T., Georgia Tech, etc... to places like China and India.
6) In addition we now have open borders(never done before until this year, and allow illegal immigrants to welfare, free housing, free health care and free education. No other country in the world does this except us. This is being done in order to drive wages down.
This is what guys like Edmund, Obama, the Bush’s and the Clinton’s think is great for America.
If you are still not certain, then ask yourself this question?
Was the United States a stronger country with tariffs from 1945 to 1996 than without tariffs from 1997 to 2015?
What we get in cheaper products has gained us more crime and illegal aliens and the loss of lower paying wages which would have helped the very poor that need such benefits.
The North American Free Trade Agreement: Ronald Reagan's Vision Realized
'...The NAFTA also will offer Americans cheaper goods, and increase U.S. exports by making them more affordable for the rest of the world. Moreover, it will create an estimated 200,000 new jobs for Americans, reduce illegal immigration from Mexico, help tackle drug trafficking, strengthen Mexican democracy and human rights, and serve as a model for the rest of the world.'
This post was a tour de force. THANK YOU.
I can’t disagree that much of what you say shows the unfairness at work in the current global market. But I have a knee-jerk reaction to the word fair, as I think it’s an ideal, not a reality in the world and the very instant I hear the word I begin to have pictures of fairness being legislated. We can see the results are rarely helpful, and most often to those who were “unfairly treated”.
Of course freedom is also abused, and the endless tension between free and fair continues.
I will do some more reading and I greatly appreciate your post and explanation of your views! Time I started paying more attention.