The Republican Party's Confusion on Trade

[WuWei]

@PurpnGold

@WuWei

Incorrect.

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

Cost. Mostly labor.

[PhilipNolan]

@PurpnGold

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

We aren’t so much asking to import it, as other countries are asking us to allow it to be brought in.

A good example would be the auto makers. Drop back to the late 70’s and follow the progression of foreign automakers vs domestic into the present.
I won’t go into the minute details, suffice to say Detroit is still trying to recover from that little kerfuffle

[PurpnGold]

@WuWei

Cost. Mostly labor.

But we already produce them here… if we can’t produce enough… then we go out to get those goods. No producing enough means we cannot meet demand.

[DougBH]

The point is the same amount of government involvement exists in either case.
So as long as there is going to be involvement, why not do it right?

[WuWei]

@PurpnGold

@WuWei

Cost. Mostly labor.

But we already produce them here… if we can’t produce enough… then we go out to get those goods. No producing enough means we cannot meet demand.

Oh horse ■■■■ and you know it.

[FreeAndClear]

Because the government can’t do it right

Because private sector

Because free market.

These aren’t absurd positions. These are actual conservative positions. So step 1 need to admit that the government does have a role in the markets. After that need to delineate how much role. At that second step the game is seesaw becomes insane.

[DougBH]

I have not seen these conservative positions. Maybe more like libertarian positions. But there are clearly people of very different positions who consider themselves conservatives. Same for liberals.

It is not inconsistent to believe there should be less regulation in some areas of commerce, but believe that the government should have some involvement in international trade. It is stretching it to see that as inconsistent.

[PurpnGold]

@WuWei

Oh horse ■■■■ and you know it.

Do you understand supply and demand?

[Yossarian]

@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?

That’s why we have Countervailing and Anti Dumping Duties.

[Smyrna]

Government…get your butt out of American business. If, in the natural course of trade, there is a negative balance, then government intervention may be needed to balance the trade so that the imbalance, is not at the expense of American workers?

[WuWei]

@PurpnGold

@WuWei

Oh horse ■■■■ and you know it.

Do you understand supply and demand?

Do you understand demand for cheap goods and $15 an hour minimum wage?

[Smyrna]

@WuWei

Do you understand demand for cheap goods and $15 an hour minimum wage?

…or that goods can be produced much more inexpensive, when the pollution necessary to produce this good, isn’t equated into the cost of production…cuz the country it’s being produced in…doesn’t give a ■■■■ …like in China vs the US?

[PhilipNolan]

@Yossarian

That’s why we have Countervailing and Anti Dumping Duties.

Correct, and they go hand in hand with fair trade, trade agreements, and favored nation status agreements. All designed to provide a balance between domestic production/exports and imports.