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What would you say if a particular country taxed all our stuff at 200%, then just had free reign in our country?

In the meantime, that stupid country has just penalized its consumers which has a multiplier effect where the parts are sold to EOM companies. Their economy will suffer and sooner or later, they will relent or will cease to be much of a player in the competitive markets.

Also in the meantime, if we're making superior products, there are other demand destinations. Our net gain is much better than if we penalize ourselves with tariffs.

What would you say if a particular country taxed all our stuff at 200%, then just had free reign in our country?

"Free reign" is not exactly accurate, right? Consumers choose which products have "free reign" based on quality and price. A country whose government continually meddles in their economy and businesses will struggle over the long term to produce such products. Just look at America. Our government has crippled our productivity and ingenuity, lessening the demand for our products. Nevertheless, America wins but allowing the world's best products for the best prices regardless of what that country does to itself.

Our net gain is greater by keeping the market free on our side of the fence than by imposing tariffs. And our net gain will be MUCH greater if instead of extending more government interference with tariffs, rather abolish the list of government intrusions that has caused noncompetitive American products and American businesses to flee our shores in the first place.

I would say, if country wants to do that to their people and economy, it doesn't mean we should. Regardless of boneheaded government decisions of other countries, we come out ahead when we keep our end of the marketplace free. Freedom means things are not always "fair". But freedom means the American consumer whether end user or OEM, buys the best product at the best prices. Parts for OEM products in turn are made at the best prices. A multiplier effect. America and its economy wins.

How does that hurt their economy? they have a huge market everywhere, and minimal competition which means they don't have to trim costs as much as possible - and still have a much lower price. The American consumer would no longer buy the American products, leaving all American businesses with no where to sell, and therefore needing no employees. Sure, people pay less for their stuff, but that's only going to last until there's no jobs left for the people.

In the meantime, that stupid country has just penalized its consumers which has a multiplier effect where the parts are sold to EOM companies. Their economy will suffer and sooner or later, they will relent or will cease to be much of a player in the competitive markets.

Or, they'll do just fine, since they have a normal, contained market in their own country, with the added bonus of income coming in from outside. Their customers aren't paying more, they're paying normal. That equilibrium is only upset when external forces undercut prices. (Or gov't sets price controls, but that's outside the free market we're assuming.) So, unless they depend on raw goods from outside, they won't have any issues.

"Free reign" is not exactly accurate, right? Consumers choose which products have "free reign" based on quality and price.

Free reign is accurate. If we have no tariffs, no regulations or anything above and beyond what's laid on internal companies, then yes they have free reign to do what they want. Especially compared to what our companies can do in their country.

And our net gain will be MUCH greater if instead of extending more government interference with tariffs, rather abolish the list of government intrusions that has caused noncompetitive American products and American businesses to flee our shores in the first place.

And our net gain would be even MORE than that if we imposed fair tariffs, AND removed the ridiculous amount of regulation that hurts our businesses internally. Both are separate things, and can hurt/help our economy separately.

Your scenario only works when you compare us to a tiny country, with no hope of actually competing with our businesses on a real scale. If you had another country close to us in most aspects, which had the size and resources to scale their production to meet our needs, then without even tariffs they could easily decimate us in a couple decades.