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**babopeddy** · 11-14-2010, 04:42 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/13/op...ighthizer.html

Strangely, for a movement named after an 18th-century protest against import levies, Tea Partyers are largely skeptical about free trade’s benefits — according to a recent poll by NBC and The Wall Street Journal, 61 percent of Tea Party sympathizers believe it has hurt the United States.

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And the Republican establishment will have to deal with the fact that Tea Party heroes like Alexander Hamilton, Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan had no problem restricting imports to promote our national interest. Given the Tea Party’s desire to restore America’s greatness, it will push Washington to stand up to China and re-establish American pre-eminence, even at the cost of the country’s free-trade record.

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Robert E. Lighthizer was a deputy trade representative in the Reagan administration.

I think what confuses us is that "free trade" isn't really free. Many countries subsidize their products which puts them below market value, and allows them to beat American goods in our own back yard. If they charged a price based on the actual cost to produce and ship them to us we would be much more competetive.

11-14-2010, 04:42 PM	#2
babopeddy Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 376 Senior Member	http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/13/op...ighthizer.html Strangely, for a movement named after an 18th-century protest against import levies, Tea Partyers are largely skeptical about free trade’s benefits — according to a recent poll by NBC and The Wall Street Journal, 61 percent of Tea Party sympathizers believe it has hurt the United States. ... And the Republican establishment will have to deal with the fact that Tea Party heroes like Alexander Hamilton, Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan had no problem restricting imports to promote our national interest. Given the Tea Party’s desire to restore America’s greatness, it will push Washington to stand up to China and re-establish American pre-eminence, even at the cost of the country’s free-trade record. __________________________________________________ _____________ Robert E. Lighthizer was a deputy trade representative in the Reagan administration. I think what confuses us is that "free trade" isn't really free. Many countries subsidize their products which puts them below market value, and allows them to beat American goods in our own back yard. If they charged a price based on the actual cost to produce and ship them to us we would be much more competetive.
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