In short, Romney doesn't appear to understand the economics of trade. Economic research about the "tariff-growth paradox," including one of our own academic papers, has found that tariffs hurt economic growth only when trade is relatively balanced. But periods of history during which world trade has been relatively balanced (such as 1840-1865 and 1950-1973) have been followed by periods during which world trade became more and more unbalanced. The world is once again experiencing a period of high trade imbalances (like the 1890s and the 1930s) in which trade-deficit countries can grow more rapidly simply by increasing their tariff rates. Anything that Trump does to balance the enormous U.S. trade deficits will be economically beneficial.
BRAVO! We indeed need all of the help with logical plans that we can get. In addition Rommney's Bain Capital pulled off many deals by investing in many compaines, then leverage them up with debt and sell them off for large investor and Bain Captital profits. People lost jobs and in one instance, the fed had to bail out their pension funds. Rommney talked about jobs,jobs, jobs. Trump should have blasted him about Bain Capital. It was said that many of Bain's selected compainies either shut down or went bankrupt while Bain Capital made billions in profits.
Comment by David Pinsen, 3/10/2016:
Congratulations, guys: Ann Coulter is tweeting about your article now: https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/707457589030821888
[An] extensive argument for balanced trade, and a program to achieve balanced trade is presented in Trading Away Our Future, by Raymond Richman, Howard Richman and Jesse Richman. “A minimum standard for ensuring that trade does benefit all is that trade should be relatively in balance.” [Balanced Trade entry]
Journal of Economic Literature:
[Trading Away Our Future] Examines the costs and benefits of U.S. trade and tax policies. Discusses why trade deficits matter; root of the trade deficit; the “ostrich” and “eagles” attitudes; how to balance trade; taxation of capital gains; the real estate tax; the corporate income tax; solving the low savings problem; how to protect one’s assets; and a program for a strong America....
Atlantic Economic Journal:
In Trading Away Our Future Richman ... advocates the immediate adoption of a set of public policy proposal designed to reduce the trade deficit and increase domestic savings.... the set of public policy proposals is a wake-up call... [February 17, 2009 review by T.H. Cate]