Tariffs and Free Trade: Mutually Exclusive
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Re “Bush Rescinds Steel Tariffs, Says Aims Met,” Dec. 5: I am a libertarian and, as such, strongly believe in the free market. Republicans, such as President Bush, are also (allegedly) free marketeers. Yet Bush has trampled on free trade with his tariffs on steel (which cause the average new car to cost about $500 more, not to mention refrigerators, TVs, etc.) and his tariffs on Canadian lumber (which cause the average new house to cost about $1,000 more). Supposedly Democrats are trade protectionists, yet President Clinton practiced more free trade than Bush. Go figure. Finally, Bush claims that the aims of the tariffs have been met. Actually, the European Union and the World Trade Organization were about to give Bush a swift kick in the U.S. economic rear end. Now, U.S. consumers can save billions. Lumber next!
Devon Showley
Cypress
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Yet another “Mission Accomplished” for President Bush. But we all know how this is going to turn out.
Raymond Tam
Glendale
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