General

Re: Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

Bogart — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:08:22 GMT

This is why I can't stand Republicans and Democrats: Bush and Obama are just the same. Bush had his little steel tariff and Obama wants to lock out foreign (Translate US-NON Union Approved) suppliers from bidding on the giant pork projects. Obama like Bush lied about most stuff but Obama was truthful about his statement that "more Americans blame" because it is the freedom hating scum like Obama and Bush that promote these lies.

I hear this from one of my senators and the governor here in Ohio and idiotic thing is that the state of Ohio is one of the biggest exporters outside costal states in the US. It is back to Smoot-Hawley and its incredible amplification of the wealth destruction policies of Hoover and Rosevelt. Whaterver the political damage that the Democrats and Republicans did, the tariffs made it worse.

Oh, they also blamed immigrants for part of this. Both parties are economically ignorant and are trying to destroy the country.

Re: Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

Eric — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:41:27 GMT

Love how people call libertarians isolationists yet they support this.

Re: Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

heki66 — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:48:28 GMT

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I found some very interesting thoughts on this subject in the book called The Age of Nepotism, you should look it up and read about current affairs in the world from the perspective of Iranian American entrepreneur traveling through the Balkans. There is also a site www.theageofnepotism.com

Re: Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

Sphairon — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:58:18 GMT

bearing01:
"It is true that cheaper foreign products helped squeezed American families stretch their dollars, and the sale of our goods and services abroad support American families," he said. "But it is also true that the overarching benefits of trade are difficult to appreciate when a plant closes in a small community because of increased foreign competition."

Sort of reminds me of this gem.

Re: Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

ProudCapitalist — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:39:12 GMT

How does the effects of US protectionism relate to the fact that so many dollars are held outside of the US?

When it gets more difficult to exchange foreign made goods for dollar, then the dollar flow to foreigners will be lower, its supply strangled. But at the same time dollars become less useful outside of the US, don't they?

What effect would increased protectionism have on the purchasing power of the dollar, and to the international demand and use of dollar?

Americans should reduce consumption by saving more. Now they will maybe lower consumption because protectionism makes consumer goods more expensive. That's half of a right !

Re: Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

eliotn — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:49:03 GMT

Eric:

_

This sounds like a great idea that has never been tried before!! St. Obama is going to bring hope back to America.

Once people are desperately poor, they will hope for anything!

Re: Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

bearing01 — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:31:37 GMT

Yes, we all would be much better off if our imports (which is almost everything people are buying now days) were much more expensive. Also, better off if foreigners were putting tariffs on their American imports. Americans need all the help they can get trying to export what we have to offer the rest of the world. Reciprocal tariffs to hinder trade will only reduce the efficiency of the division of labor and make the depression harder & more expensive to bare. As if the price inflation about to be inflicted upon us wasn't enough.

Re: Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

Eric — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:31:08 GMT

This sounds like a great idea that has never been tried before!! St. Obama is going to bring hope back to America.

Re: Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

eliotn — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:02:16 GMT

Yeah, doesn't Obama realize that he would not be this powerful if it weren't for trade. If people were prevented from trading, we would be barbarians!

Re: Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

nameless — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:59:12 GMT

Why not just raise tariffs by 1000%? That worked out so well in the '30s! AMERICA STRONG!!1

Obama plan - We need trade restrictions

bearing01 — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:49:20 GMT

You can't make this stuff up. Obama is following the diary of F.D. Roosevelt.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/09/AR2009030903157.html

[...]

the administration is preparing to take a harder line with America's trading partners. It will seek new benchmarks before supporting already-written trade agreements with Colombia and South Korea and is suggesting that it will dig in its heels on global trade talks, demanding that other countries make broader concessions first. "I believe in trade and will work to expand it, but I also know that not all Americans are winning from it and that our trading partners are not always playing by the rules," Ron Kirk, President Obama's nominee as U.S. trade representative, said in confirmation hearing testimony last night before the Senate Finance Committee.

[...]

In the United States, more Americans are blaming cheap imports for job losses at home and congressional leaders pressed successfully to include a "buy American" provision in the $787 billion stimulus program to give an edge to U.S.-made products.

[...]

"It is true that cheaper foreign products helped squeezed American families stretch their dollars, and the sale of our goods and services abroad support American families," he said. "But it is also true that the overarching benefits of trade are difficult to appreciate when a plant closes in a small community because of increased foreign competition."

[...]