Editor’s note: It’s time for a “Trade/Tariffs” tag — so as I link more articles on this topic, they will no longer be added below but rather just tagged instead.
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Below is the list of articles that I causally gathered over the course of about two years. Why did I collect them? My plan was to get a little more up to speed on the issues surrounding trade policy and American manufacturing job loses.
Most of these articles are very pro “free” trade, but as so often happens, sometimes the dissenting side makes the more salient points.
I have them listed not by pro and con (free v. fair), but by date (newest at the top). And I’ll occasionally add worthwhile articles to the list.
First are links to John Westberg’s New Hope for American Foundation, where he lays out in great detail his proposed solution:
New Hope for America
Millions of U.S. workers have watched with helplessness and despair as their jobs and careers were “outsourced” to foreign countries. These jobs represent “middle-class” America . . . the foundational strength of our country. If this situation has impacted you then this website was made for you.
New Hope for America: Working to Rebuild America’s Economy
During the last 40 years, living the American dream became almost impossible for the working people of America because of the “outsourcing” of U.S. manufacturing. Observing this loss of good paying “middle class” jobs, Mr. Westberg established the NHFA foundation to find a solution to this problem.
Op eds, studies, and videos:
Hysteria Over Trump and Tariffs
The president is right: if you don’t have steel, you don’t have a country.
Understanding the Trump Trade Doctrine
Trump may be on to something here, and I don’t know if I’d endorse his trade doctrine, but it’s worth considering and not dismissing out of hand.
Don’t Buy Free Trade Myths
President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports are facing an avalanche of false criticism.
On Trade, Trump Is Acting in the Best Interest of the USA
It is time to give tariffs a try. The Trump economic boom and America’s economic future are at stake.
Correct Thinking on China
China’s unfair trade practices strike fair deeper into the American way of life than most people suspect.
Trump was right about tariffs
This is a major victory for Trump, yes, and also for our country. China has just backed down. He was right; the Trump-doubters were wrong.
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Mr. President, Stand Up to Dumping in International Trade
It is incumbent on the Trump administration to send a message to our trading partners that economic partnership requires respect for agreed rules, including that dumping is illegal.
Dobbs and Trump talk trade, terrify opponents
President Trump discussed with Lou Dobbs the status of various initiatives he has undertaken to rebalance the relationship between government and business.
Why Populism? Globalism Isn’t Worth It
The overall benefits of globalization are zero to negative. Trade was supposed to be based on reciprocity and growth, but it turned out to be a sham. Have those “left behind”—the “forgotten silent majority,” in Trumpian terms—been compensated from the clear effects of globalization? No, not really.
China’s Predatory Economics and How to Stop It
There is a global contest underway between two economic and political models. One model is liberty and democracy, and the other is state control and totalitarianism. Fortunately (and hopefully not too late), U.S. policymakers have awakened to the nature of the current challenge.
Bringing Back Manufacturing Jobs Would Mean Economic Stagnation
We’re told that bringing back the work of the past is part of “Making America Great Again.” Nothing could be further from the truth.
Despite the Rhetoric, US Trade Deficit With China Is Not a Big Problem. Here’s Why.
Negative Balance of Trade? So What?
Balance of trade arguments are superficially appealing, but completely baseless.
Trump Plans to Renegotiate NAFTA. Here’s How It Can Be Improved to Benefit America.
Free Trade As a General Rule
When in doubt, free trade is a safe bet.
Free Trade Puts America First
For “America First” to happen, we have to put freedom first.
Free Trade, Fair Trade, and Reality
How Much Does Your State Need Foreign Trade?
Many US states depend on foreign trade for a large share of their state’s economic output and jobs.
American Workers Aren’t Helpless Children Who Need Protection
Workers in all professions are adults who are quite capable of anticipating and preparing for change.
Protectionism and a Universal Basic Income Won’t Solve Our Economic Problems
For both economic and spiritual reasons, a basic income guarantee isn’t the solution to widespread unemployment due to new technology.
Protectionism Makes Great Countries Poor Again
The true way to fight hostile tariffs is by free trade.
Unfair Trade Hurts Ordinary Workers in Both China and the U.S.
By getting tough with Beijing, President Trump can make life better for American and Chinese citizens alike.
Unfair Trade Hurts Ordinary Workers in Both China and the U.S.
By getting tough with Beijing, President Trump can make life better for American and Chinese citizens alike.
Trashing NAFTA: Protection or Prosperity?
Dear China: Thank You for Manipulating Your Currency
China’s currency manipulation is a form of foreign aid, and to the direct advantage of millions of U.S. consumers.
Why ‘Made in America’ Is So Hard to Do
25 Reasons Why Protectionism Is Taken Seriously When It’s Actually a Form of Economic Suicide
Mostly, it’s because of politics and misinformation.
The Utter Irrelevance of the “Balance of Trade”
We would be better off if no one had ever carried over the absurd mercantilist notion of the “balance of trade.”
Free Trade’s Effect on ‘Earned Success’
Cheaper goods don’t provide satisfaction like meaningful work does.
Trade Restrictions: Some Effects
Protectionists Are Confused about Work and Scarcity
Making foreign goods more expensive doesn’t protect domestic workers.
How Trump Can Make Trade with China Work for America
A strategy for the new administration.
Trump Can Succeed On Trade By Ending Global Currency Manipulation
World trade in goods and services has morphed into a gigantic manipulative carnival of currency trading. This needs to change.
Stop the Pandering, With Free Trade There Are No ‘Losers’
Imports Create Jobs and Trade Deficits Don’t Matter
Imports don’t force a contraction in a country’s total employment opportunities.
5 Questions to Ask Your Protectionist Friends
The Moral and Spiritual Blessings of Trade Among All Nations
Free trade doesn’t just make us better off. It makes us better people.
Trade Restrictions Imperil Our Standard of Living
The market process of global trade is not a place or a thing, but a process in which people serve each other for mutual benefit.
Free Traders Shouldn’t Mourn the Loss of the TPP
Regulatory competition beats regulatory harmonization.
Why All Protectionists Are Essentially Luddites
Trade and labor-saving technology are economically indistinguishable.
Punishing Theft Does Not Violate Free Trade
Economists are nearly unanimous in believing that protectionism is a bad idea.
Protectionism’s Enduring Costs
How politicians’ favorite ‘job saving’ measures damage the economy.
Protection Racket
Critics of free trade traffic in myths.
The Human Side of Trade
Trade and innovation make most people wealthier, though not every single person benefits.
The Catastrophic Results of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1929-30
Apart from Republican politicians, who spotted votes in protectionism, few who knew anything about the subject were enthusiastic about Smoot’s ideas.
Who is Protectionism Protecting Anyway?
Protectionist policies benefit large corporations, not average Americans.
We Do Not Have a Trade Deficit
We have a capital surplus.
Trade Deficit Widens, Uncertainty Remains
Actually, Mike Pence, the Market Is Doing Just Fine
The Winners and Losers of the Carrier Deal
This Should Be Trump’s Top Trade Priority
A trade deal that will put America first.
The GOP’s Future Is as the Party of Industry
Republicans have a chance to reshape American politics by offering a program for an industrial economy.
An ‘America First’ Trump Trade Policy
Protectionism Will Make America Poor, Not Great
As any trade economist understands, the truth is trade neither creates nor destroys jobs.
2017 Index of Economic Freedom: Trade and Prosperity at Risk
Don’t Blame Free Trade. We Don’t Have It.
The industries supposedly in danger from free trade actually benefit the most from protectionism.
Trump Really Shouldn’t Kill NAFTA
How Trump will double growth and jobs
The key is an America-first, pro-business approach to economic policy.
Trump’s Victory Should Not Be So Surprising
Were voters still recovering from the financial crisis really going to choose the candidate funded so heavily by banks?
Misguided Opposition to Free Trade Is Bipartisan
President Obama’s support for TPP doesn’t include strong criticism of its opponents.
Analyzing American Trade Deals
The Elemental Case for Free Trade
The positive economic case for free trade is straightforward.
What’s to Blame for Wage Stagnation: Markets or Government?
Markets only respond to government decisions — good and bad — about the goods and workers crossing our borders.
No, Free Trade Does Not Hurt the Economy
A trade involves cooperation between the individuals making the exchange. No one is “beaten.”
Free Trade Is the Key to Economic Growth
Contrary to what the political class has been saying.
How to Fulfill Donald Trump’s Trade Promise Without Using Tariffs
Protectionism Is Theft Wrapped in Flags
Protectionism is a means of stealing that which suppliers are unwilling to purchase.
How Americans Benefit from Trade
How Bill Clinton Sent Manufacturing Jobs to China
Who says there’s no detail behind Trumponomics?
Trump Right on Trade Predators
Why Both Major Candidates Are Wrong on Trade
Tariffs of any sort hurt Americans and harm economic growth.
No, Wall Street Journal, Chinese Imports Didn’t Kill My Hometown
My hometown of Hickory, North Carolina is actually a great example of the American economy’s resilience—not despite trade, but in concert with it.
Protectionism Will Not Relieve the Plight of the Working Class
Trump’s trade policy won’t boost American employment, but it will tank our economy.
Understanding the Trans Pacific Partnership
How Bastiat Toppled the “Balance of Trade” Bugaboo
Trade exists because the parties to the trade see an advantage to doing so, not because it is “good for the country.”
The Real Story About Free Trade and Manufacturing
Is Free Trade Causing Job Loss?
Protectionism is All Around Us
It’s not just about trade; it’s about all restriction.
The political parties are realigning on jobs and trade
Why Multinational Corporations Favor Hillary
Here Are 7 Ways Free Trade Has Helped Michigan
The GOP’s Foolish Accommodation of Trump on Trade
In fact, the global trading system has been one of the great successes of the post-war era.
How America Should Deal With Globalization
Low-wage workers have suffered most from globalization. Americans can best help these fellow citizens by retraining them to compete in today’s markets.
Adam Smith, Economic Nationalism, and the Case for Free Trade
As economic nationalism enjoys a resurgence across the developed world, Adam Smith reminds us of how much we stand to lose—and not just economically.
How Free Traders Fueled Trump And Can Beat Him
Protectionists want to force poor American consumers to subsidize well-connected cronies. They must no longer be given free rein to mislead with impunity.
Protectionism Will Not Make America Great
The U.S. Doesn’t Even Enforce Trade Rules, Never Mind Enact Favorable Deals
Before new treaties are written, let’s hold 34 known countries accountable for intellectual-property theft.
What Globalization Isn’t
The free flow of goods, capital, and people is about freedom, period. If there has been a bogey.
Thinking Beyond Stage One
The unforeseen disasters that arise when government acts to “protect” jobs.
The Case Against Protectionism
Where Have All The Free Traders Gone?
Few Republicans pushed back against Donald Trump’s litany of absurdities regarding international trade. Democrats were no better.
Taking the Low Road on Free Trade
Trade has become a bi-partisan target.
Politicians Are Wrong About NAFTA
Donald Trump’s and Joseph Wharton’s Mistaken Protectionism
Protectionism hurts middle- and low-income workers.
Productivity gains don’t explain the demise of US manufacturing jobs
The 2016 Non-campaign Issue: Conflict with China
There’s No Such Thing as Free Trade with China
Free Trade, the Leftist Issue and the Truth
Leftists Are Bad at Leftism
Protecting Jobs Means Hurting Consumers and the Poor.
Why We’re Falling Behind in World Trade
The U.S. manufacturing sector is getting killed
The Human Case for Economic Nationalism
Free Trade Works!
But Anti-Foreign Bias Threatens Globalization.
What’s the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ trade?
$2.2 trillion and growing: The post-NAFTA trade deficit with Canada and Mexico
If trade made the US rich, explain this graph
Why Trade Doesn’t Cause Unemployment
A video from the Heritage Foundation.
If anything, globalization increased the cost of meat in America
News flash: American manufacturing is not thriving
The People are Right: It’s Time to Balance Trade
U.S.-China trade: National Review is the ‘Buffoon,’ not Trump
