Rough Trade

I am opposed to quotas with regard to imports. I opposed the steel tariffs when they were instituted and cheered when they were removed. That said, I have no problem with the Bush plan to slap tariffs on clothing manufactured in China:

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is re-imposing quotas on three categories of clothing imports from China, responding to complaints from domestic producers that a surge of Chinese imports was threatening thousands of U.S. jobs.

The administration action will impose limits on the amount of cotton trousers, cotton knit shirts and underwear that China can ship to this country. American retailers say that will drive up prices for U.S. consumers.

In announcing the decision Friday, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said a government investigation had found that a surge in shipments from China since global quotas were eliminated on Jan. 1 was disrupting the domestic market.

I support our government not because I want to protect American jobs. While a noble idea, if we can't make products at a competitive price, we have no business manufacturing them. That's just plain and simple free-market economics.

I support this because China is our next adversary. Every dollar we send to that country is another nail in democratic Taiwan's coffin and supports a barbaric regime and ideology. China has relations with nations who wish to do us harm and we still send billions their way.