As an aside issue, there is a movement to power long haul trucks with natural gas which we seem to have plenty. Google "Westport Engines" and "Clean Energy" which is a company supplying natural gas and truck stop services.
Now, back to the tariffs. In the great depression, the Hawley Smoot tariff protected our industry. The factories weren't working, but they were still located in the US.
When world war II broke out, they were there to be utilized. People went back to work.
However, in our current situation, those factories have moved to the far east. We have hollow buildings and empty lots now. We will have to start all over again and retool new factories.
If we start a tariff war, what product does the US produce that would not still be bought?
Our largets export item would be agricultural products. However, this is a false item. The US has since the end of world war II bought grain and other products that it gives in aid through the Food for Peace progam to other nations.
Then those recipient nations sell this agricultural product on their own market and use the income to fund their governments. Governments like Pakistan, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Egypt are dependent upon this program.
In the years since the inception of the program, those countries have not increased their own production of food supplies to keep pace with their growing population.
I feel that the US taxpayer should not have to support those nations that really don't like us. We need to end that program and make gasahol with that grain.
Those people need to plant more wheat and less opium poppies.
