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A comment on Why 3.5M Americans in their prime years aren’t working. Parent comment

Re:Why 3.5M Americans in their prime years aren’t working by jlmorton on Saturday February 24, 2018 @03:54PM (#16455348)
> Not really sure what the point of this red herring is but the theory of protectionism applies equally well at all levels from the mom and pop grocery store opposed to a new Walmart to continent sized economic blocks.

I agree that the effects would be largely the same. The point of the thought experiment is that protectionists never clamor for interstate trade barriers.

Almost universally, protectionists accept and even marvel at the US single market and interstate free trade, but they somehow lose sight of the benefits when trade becomes international.

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Re:Why 3.5M Americans in their prime years aren’t working by UncleEntity on Saturday February 24, 2018 @04:57PM (#16455664)
> Almost universally, protectionists accept and even marvel at the US single market and interstate free trade, but they somehow lose sight of the benefits when trade becomes international.

I would say it's because the states have a generally level playing field due to federal laws/regulations while foreign countries can do whatever they want to reduce prices. It's not like Ohio can make child labor legal or something like that.

Though I will admit most protectionists aren't really known for their ability to construct a rational economic argument to support their position.

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