Sanders explained his goals with tariff’s/import taxes, which Donald Trump is using in his trade war with China….
He, like Trump, does NOT believe whole heartily in free trade …..
He was talking to CNN’s Brianna Keller….
The exchange:
KEILAR: “You have made clear that China is treating the U.S. unfairly when it comes to trade. I understand that you don’t agree with the president’s tactics or his style. But if you were president, would you use tariffs to negotiate a deal with China?”
SANDERS: “That is one tool that you have. What the president is doing is totally irrational and destabilizing the entire world economy. You do not make trade policy by announcing today that you’re going to raise tariffs by X percent and the next day by Y percent, by attacking the person you appointed as head of the Federal Reserve as an enemy of the American people, by denouncing the president of China, who last year you really loved as a great leader. This kind of instability and irrationality on the part of the president is causing very serious harm to the entire world economy.
KEILAR: “I understand your criticism of that. But you say this would be a tool. Is it a tool that you would use? Would you use tariffs?”
SANDERS: “Yeah, of course. If it is used in a rational way, within the context of a broad sensible trade policy, it is one tool that’s available. You’re looking at somebody, by the way, who helped lead the effort against permanent normal trade relations with China and NAFTA because trade policies that we have had in the past have lost us millions of good paying jobs and were written primarily by large corporations at the expense of workers and farmers. We need a rational trade policy today, not what Trump is doing by tweet.”
The big picture: The populist Sanders has previously said that he does not believe in “unfettered free trade” and that he was “on the picket line in opposition to NAFTA” when it first came into effect….
image…ThisWeek.Com
I consider myself pro free-trade, but I also support tariffs against China. In my opinion, Supporting free trade means that both sides practice it., and China DEFINITELY does not.
Bernie is right on this position.
Actually there have been Democrats and labor unions that thought Bill Clinton gave away the store on NAFTHA….
But it’s not so simple.…
MOST Americans do NOT want to pay increased prices for imp[orted good, nor will the price increases be good for the sinking economy…..
In addition?
There are things that America simply MUST import…We don’t make this thongs anymore….
Increased import taxes on our export’s would result in sally cuts and more automation against America workers….
The trade issue is one that has always cut both ways. Remember Pat Buchanan was avidly pro tariff.
The Republicans have usually coupled it 2oth nativist sentiment that the Democrats have not though
There is no doubt that as Z points out the Chinese have been ruthless and sneaky in trying to gain on America’s economic dominance of the world’s economy….
But Trump’s ineptness seems to making things worst….NIT better…
I’ve been saying this here…
After Trump is voted out?
The next Democrat is going to have to put things back together just like Obama had to…