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"Tariffs were the largest (approaching 95% at times) source of federal revenue until the Federal income tax began after 1913. For well over a century the federal government was largely financed by tariffs averaging about 20% on foreign imports."
Approximately 96 percent of U.S. merchandise imports are industrial (non-agricultural) goods. The United States currently has a trade-weighted average import tariff rate of 2.0 percent on industrial goods. One-half of all industrial goods entering the United States enter duty free.
Holy crap, pardon my French... See now here's a direct issue that I can personally bring up to my local government! I agree with you 200% this is absurd. Kind of validates my starting the thread, by posting the question of if we should even up the playing field. If an American company were to buy goods from an American producer, manufacture such goods, it looks to me that the American manufacturing company would lose money to "buy local"...
Bookmarked your link by the way, that's an awesome source, and I appreciate it, I am going to comb over it in more detail over the following few weeks! Thanks very much!
You're quite welcome. I have been pushing this for quite some time, but almost everyone has been dead set against it. The common argument is "Tariffs will start a trade war with China." To which I reply: "If tariffs cause trade wars then why haven't we declared war on China which charges 8 times* more for tariffs as we do?" People are just so mesmerized by Free Trade they can't allow themselves to look at the reality.
Since you are well versed on the topic. If you had one thing to say to the non-educated on this subject. One recommendation as to how they can get this noticed and in motion, what would you say your solution is?
You know things are screwed up when the NRA comes begging and all they have to offer are hats made in China because they claim they can't get them made in the USA and still afford to use them as incentives.
Since you are well versed on the topic. If you had one thing to say to the non-educated on this subject. One recommendation as to how they can get this noticed and in motion, what would you say your solution is?
Education. People just do not understand the matter. Most people don't even know what a tariff is. Hard to believe, considering it was such an important part of our country's development. I didn't know about it myself until I began studying it on my own. Politicians don't want to propose tariffs because they know it will raise the price of many goods which are now imported. That will contribute to inflation. But as it currently stands, we are just fooling ourselves into believing that we have a high standard of living. It is only high relative to foreigners who are working in sweatshops overseas. But Americans don't care about them because, again, we are uneducated as to the conditions of foreign workers in foreign factories.
So the solution would be:
Required curriculum in schools on economic history, international trade, and living conditions in other countries. Extend the school year from 180 days to 250 days as it is in Asian countries.
Heavy tax on entertainment so that people are forced to read educational books, which would not be taxed.
Prohibit ex-politicians from working as consultants for foreign countries and companies.
Require all goods imported from other countries to be made in accordance with our laws, including labor laws, environmental laws, tax laws, etc. If they don't they will be tariffed in proportion to how poorly they follow these laws.
Extensive product labeling telling exactly what factory the product was made in, what the starting wages in that factory are, whether or not that factory follows American laws (they could be given a grade for this), how many violations the factory has had, etc.
Hold politicians accountable. When they say they will stop the offshoring of US jobs, ask them how instead of simply nodding our heads.
End the income tax. It was purposely left out of the Constitution by the Founding Fathers. It is destructive and taxes us where it shouldn't and allowed the government to not tax us where it should (imports).
I could go on, but what's the use? These things will never happen. People get entrenched in erroneous thinking and it is hard to snap them out of it.
Education. People just do not understand the matter. Most people don't even know what a tariff is. Hard to believe, considering it was such an important part of our country's development. I didn't know about it myself until I began studying it on my own. Politicians don't want to propose tariffs because they know it will raise the price of many goods which are now imported. That will contribute to inflation. But as it currently stands, we are just fooling ourselves into believing that we have a high standard of living. It is only high relative to foreigners who are working in sweatshops overseas. But Americans don't care about them because, again, we are uneducated as to the conditions of foreign workers in foreign factories.
So the solution would be:
Required curriculum in schools on economic history, international trade, and living conditions in other countries. Extend the school year from 180 days to 250 days as it is in Asian countries.
Heavy tax on entertainment so that people are forced to read educational books, which would not be taxed.
Prohibit ex-politicians from working as consultants for foreign countries and companies.
Require all goods imported from other countries to be made in accordance with our laws, including labor laws, environmental laws, tax laws, etc. If they don't they will be tariffed in proportion to how poorly they follow these laws.
Extensive product labeling telling exactly what factory the product was made in, what the starting wages in that factory are, whether or not that factory follows American laws (they could be given a grade for this), how many violations the factory has had, etc.
Hold politicians accountable. When they say they will stop the offshoring of US jobs, ask them how instead of simply nodding our heads.
End the income tax. It was purposely left out of the Constitution by the Founding Fathers. It is destructive and taxes us where it shouldn't and allowed the government to not tax us where it should (imports).
I could go on, but what's the use? These things will never happen. People get entrenched in erroneous thinking and it is hard to snap them out of it.
Well argued, I appreciate all of your input. I, for one, will be writing some letters...
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