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I keep hearing that Trump is going to start a trade war with the tariffs he's imposing on other countries. It's said to be especially egregious that he is imposing them even on our friends and allies.
Let's take the two statements in order. It would be impossible for Trump to start a trade war, because the truth of the matter is that the trade war has been raging for decades. The fact that the U.S. has chosen not to defend itself does not mean there wasn't a war. Saying that Trump is starting a trade war would be like saying that Ukraine started a war when they shot back at Russia. It's complete nonsense.
Nearly every country in the world uses unfair trade practices when it comes to the United States. They impose tariffs, subsidize industries to help them undercut American companies, and regulate American goods differently than they do their own. Any other country would have gone bankrupt by now with that kind of opposition and we will if we don't take some sort of action.
What about our "friends and allies"? They are the worst offenders, because while they are literally attacking us economically, they depend on us for protection from the big, bad wolf, that is Putin. They cried like babies when Trump told them they had to pay their agreed upon share of NATO expenses, and now they're crying again when we say we just want free trade.
No, my friends, Trump is not starting a trade war, he's merely, finally starting to defend us in that war. You may not like the way he's doing it, but I haven't heard any alternatives. All I've heard is people saying that what he's doing is terrible. They offer no solution and doing nothing is not a viable option.
Many people don't like tariffs, and I don't either. I also don't like war, but if we're attacked, I would agree that we must fight back. War is bad, but being conquered by a hostile power is worse and I would argue that applies whether the war is military or economic.
If you don't like tariffs, at least offer a better idea and stop whining unless you have one.
PAUL RINKER
Montoursville
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom