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A Protectionist is Someone Who…

… judging from my long and deep experience at dealing with protectionists, generally and studiously ignores arguments against protectionism.  A protectionist is someone who simply repeats, time after time after time, that, for example (to mention only a few of the protectionist’s cherished mantras),

  • trade deficits plunge the nation further into debt or drain demand out of the country
  • trade deficits lead to permanent higher rates of unemployment
  • trade deficits are evidence that “we” are “losing” at trade
  • it’s “unfair” for “our producers” to have to compete against producers in countries with lower wages, lower taxes, less regulation, or more subsidies

With rare exception, the protectionist doesn’t argue; the protectionist merely asserts.

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