Good post Willy, and I will have to sit down this evening and digest it.

My point about tariffs isn’t that tariffs can’t be part of an equalization strategy where trade concerned. My main point though is, unless you have a time machine, there ain’t no going back to the good old days of out-producing everyone else in the world.
And ‘globalization’ isn’t a strategy that anyone is responsible for (nor is smart enough to do anyway). Its the emergence of third world countries into the world of trade. The simple fact is: where materials, and manpower, and yes de-regulation are at levels that we can’t or won’t match, the markets will naturally move to those economies where profits can be maximized. It’s not an evil plot, it’s not because of the foolishness of our leaders, and it can’t be fixed by implementing economic myopia and closing our ranks. We have to find new ways to compete. Free trade doesn’t solve it either, but the freer the better.

So....I was pointing out that simplistic solutions, like having a trade war and imposing tariffs won’t fix this complex problem.

And we compete against many ‘planned economies’ throughout the world. What, so we must shut our doors and let our competitors figure out how to do business there? Is that what. i on had in mind when he opened the door to China and much of Asia in the 70’s?

A third rate real estate tycoon, no matter how successful a cheater he was in business, ain’t gonna come in and set e everything right either.

BKB