The Republican Party's Confusion on Trade

[PurpnGold]

@gooddad409

The OP is the confused one here, but then libs seem to think other countries having an unfair advantage over this country(unequal trade agreements and practices) is free trade and just fine.

Describe “unfair” what’s the metric? In a “fair trade” does every product exchanged need to have equal monetary value?

[PurpnGold]

@PhilipNolan

The government’s involvement should be just enough to keep the playing field level, if they don’t, they end up with the ultra-rich and the ultra-poor with nobody in the middle to keep things on an even keel.

Isn’t that where we are today? Ultra rich and poor?

Describe what is considered “fair trade”?

[PhilipNolan]

@PurpnGold

Isn’t that where we are today? Ultra rich and poor?

You ignore those in the middle who by far outnumber the other two groups.
(kind of like the way the DNC ignores flyover country during elections)

[FreeAndClear]

@PhilipNolan

@FreeAndClear

Why is the government involved in the free market system? How much involvement is good?

The government is involved to keep people honest, let’s face it while a majority of people may be honest, there are some unscrupulous people out there (Bernie Madoff ring a bell?). The government’s involvement should be just enough to keep the playing field level, if they don’t, they end up with the ultra-rich and the ultra-poor with nobody in the middle to keep things on an even keel.

A level playing field. Wow. Did you just? Well nevermind.

You are (a) describing why regulation is a good thing. The president is again running in deregulation and (b) a level playing field is the economy is exactly why the left is often accused of being that dirty dirty word

[FreeAndClear]

Why isn’t the all powerful free market capable of supplanting the government when it comes to international trade. International companies enter Into agreements all the time. Right?

You guys have no idea how much you are talking out of both sides of the mouth.

[Safiel]

@PhilipNolan

@Safiel

It is impossible for an educated person to answer yes to both questions.

Think a little harder, and quit thinking like a globalist, think nationalist instead.

I do think harder and I oppose economic nationalism.

[PurpnGold]

@PhilipNolan

You ignore those in the middle who by far outnumber the other two groups.
(kind of like the way the DNC ignores flyover country during elections)

By numbers of people but not by wealth

[Safiel]

@once-ler

The only question that is important on that questionnaire is “what is your credit card number?” That pretty much goes for both the RNC ans DNC. Nobody is tallying the answers given.

This is very true, as I alluded when I said “crap questionnaires” in the OP.

[PhilipNolan]

@PurpnGold

Describe what is considered “fair trade”?

Loaded question, but in general, fair trade should be that the price/cost of imported goods & services should be on par with those produced locally/nationally in order to promote manufacturing and services within our borders. That keeps our economy going, and we aren’t reliant on others for goods and services. (china and this “pandemic” is a prime example. China pretty much has the world market on medical supplies and manufacturing).

[PurpnGold]

@PhilipNolan

Loaded question, but in general, fair trade should be that the price/cost of imported goods & services should be on par with those produced locally/nationally in order to promote manufacturing and services within our borders. That keeps our economy going, and we aren’t reliant on others for goods and services. (china and this “pandemic” is a prime example. China pretty much has the world market on medical supplies and manufacturing).

But why? There is a reason we are importing goods that we also manufacture here, right? That tells me we cannot produce enough to meet demand. So why should another country match the prices here, if we are the desperate ones?

[PhilipNolan]

@PurpnGold

By numbers of people but not by wealth

It’s like kicking a bale of wool, any impression you made is gone as soon as you stop. This is where I get off the train, it’s going nowhere.

[PhilipNolan]

@PurpnGold

But why? There is a reason we are importing goods that we also manufacture here, right? That tells me we cannot produce enough to meet demand. So why should another country match the prices here, if we are the desperate ones?

I’ll answer your question with one of my own. (assume there are no tariffs) What happens if China decides to flood the U.S. market with underpriced medical supplies, local manufacturers can’t compete and shut down, you just increased the number of poor people and are now dependent on China for your health care. what happens when China decides to increase prices or stop supplying altogether?

[PurpnGold]

@PhilipNolan

I’ll answer your question with one of my own. (assume there are no tariffs) What happens if China decides to flood the U.S. market with underpriced medical supplies, local manufacturers can’t compete and shut down, you just increased the number of poor people and are now dependent on China for your health care. what happens when China decides to increase prices or stop supplying altogether?

Well in your example wouldnt we just stop importing those Chinese goods? It’s not a trade anymore. Trading is an exchanging of goods. If we stop exchanging goods, we are no longer trading.

Still goes back to my original question… what is a fair trade? Does fair trade always need to be an even exchange of monetary value?

[PhilipNolan]

@PurpnGold

Still goes back to my original question… what is a fair trade? Does fair trade always need to be an even exchange of monetary value?

please see post 28, I answered your question. The answer won’t change no matter how often you ask the question.

[PurpnGold]

@PhilipNolan

please see post 28, I answered your question. The answer won’t change no matter how often you ask the question.

That didn’t answer my question… you just asked another one.

[WuWei]

@Safiel

https://www.cato.org/blog/republican-partys-confusion-trade

The author of the above piece got a fairly standard fundraising questionnaire from the Republican National Senatorial Committee. It contained the two following questions:

17. Do you think it’s a good idea to renegotiate international trade deals to make sure we are leveraging our power in favor of American workers and U.S.-based companies?

18. Generally, is there too much government involvement in our free enterprise system?

It is impossible for an educated person to answer yes to both questions.

If you answer yes to the first question, then the only intellectually honest answer to the second question is no. You could answer no to the first question and yes to the second question. Or you could answer no to both questions.

But if you answer yes to the first question, you are asserting a protectionist/mercantilist worldview, a worldview that is incompatible with free enterprise. So, to be intellectually honest, you must answer no to the second question.

Now I understand both parties send out these crap questionnaires with loaded questions.

But can’t they at least take a moment to ensure they are not contradicting themselves from one question to the next???

I disagree completely. The questions are a bit simplistic, but not necessarily contradictory.

Is international trade part of “our free enterprise system”? The second question could very easily be referring to domestic.

[PhilipNolan]

@PhilipNolan

fair trade should be that the price/cost of imported goods & services should be on par with those produced locally/nationally in order to promote manufacturing and services within our borders.

Then you didn’t read it.

[WuWei]

@PurpnGold

That tells me we cannot produce enough to meet demand.

Incorrect.

[PurpnGold]

@PhilipNolan

Then you didn’t read it.

I read that and it doesn’t make sense. If we can produce it here, why are we asking for it to be imported?

[PurpnGold]

@WuWei

Incorrect.

Then why would we ask for imported goods that we already produce here?