"You ask why I do not give Trump benefit of doubt that his tariffs are bargaining chips to make trade freer? My main reason is that everything the man says about trade reveals him to be an economic nationalist of the most obtuse and cartoonish sort. Trump gives no evidence of understanding the first thing about trade" #QotD

"You ask why I do not give President Trump benefit of doubt that his tariffs are bargaining chips to make trade freer?
    "My main reason – which is sufficient – for not swallowing the argument that Trump’s long-term goal is global free trade is that everything the man says about trade reveals him to be an economic nationalist of the most obtuse and cartoonish sort. Trump gives no evidence of understanding the first thing about trade...
    "In short, there’s no more reason to believe claims that Donald Trump is really a free trader at heart whose hyperactive protectionism is meant to strengthen free trade than there is to believe claims that Elizabeth Warren is really a 'capitalist to her bones' whose hyperactive interventionism is meant to 'strengthen capitalism'.”
          ~ Don Boudreaux, from his post 'Repeating a Point'
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