Discussion

America’s economic history doesn’t support the ideology of the so-called “free traders”. The highest economic growth rates in American history were between 1861 and 1933, when the average tariffs on manufactured goods were 50%. This is the era when America became the industrial powerhouse of the world. We must jettison the destructive “free trade” policies and restore the policies that built America.

Key Recommendations

Trade with close allies

Implement a system of reciprocal trade with our close allies. Work to ensure that trade is fair and open.

Trade with non-allies

Restore our historic trade policies with countries who are not our allies.

Background

The highest economic growth rates in American history were between 1861 and 1933. It was a time of great innovation. The electric light, telegraph, telephone, assembly line, and airplane are just a few of the inventions that came from that era. The average tariffs on manufactured goods were 50%.

After WWII, America faced a new challenge in the Cold War, with the Soviet Union fermenting communist revolution around the globe. We needed helped fighting the communists, but most of the countries that could help us, namely those in Western Europe, plus Japan, Korea, and a few others had been destroyed in WWII. So, the American government lowered our tariffs and allowed these countries to rebuild themselves on our backs. It was probably the right thing to do, given the threat we faced from international communism.

But this somehow got translated into the notion that “free trade”, and even one-way “free trade”, was somehow good for our economy. We eventually lowered tariffs on products coming from just about every country. Today, the average tariff rate on manufactured goods is just over 1%.

When the “free traders” talk about “free trade”, the only thing they talk about is cheap stuff. What about the people whose jobs were outsourced to China, India, Mexico, and elsewhere? What happens to them? America’s marriage rate is at an all-time low. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death of American men between 18 and 49. And the suicide rate among middle-aged American men has more than tripled from its historic average. “Free trade” has been a disaster for our economy, families, and especially our men.

We must replace the destructive free trade ideology with the policies that built America and made it strong.