@roger,
roger wrote:
livinglava wrote:
Isn't trade supposed to be entered into freely and not out of fear of retaliation?
And tariffs imposed by Trump are not retaliation? I have to say, that is a bit confusing.
Not retaliation for failing to fall in line with global economic trade patterns.
If they are retaliation, it is for creating a pattern of trade that systematically exploits the US.
Look at how the global economy works: the US is kept spending as much as possible on cars and goods produced abroad so that those producer countries don't have to serve as bustling consumer markets that serve to make money for others.
It becomes difficult in the US to pursue reforms in transportation, development, environmental protection, etc. when such reforms interfere with the business interests investors use to make money globally.
Compare it with the 19th century political struggle with slavery: if a state or country would consider ending slavery, there would be other external economic interests that would rush in to block reforms.
The global economy shouldn't be dependent on US automotive-consumerism for its economic welfare. The US, and any other economic region, should be free to independently pursue reforms that reduce its interdependency. Otherwise, we are all slaves to our collective economic welfare.
Do you think that everyone should serve the economy and should be punished for making independent choices that don't suit other people's needs and wants, or should everyone be able to deal with others making independent choices and be economically flexible enough to be able to do so without retaliating against others for failing to tow the line that serves them?
