Why do so many global libertarians side with USA/Trump when they're anti-free trade and anti-individual freedom?
Posted by marihuano69x@reddit | Libertarian | View on Reddit | 18 comments
Why keep calling yourselves libertarians when you're against individual freedom? Some have even turned anti-free trade.
anonfun2020@reddit
Stay tuned. Watch Rand Paul, the only libertarian in the Senate. He’s going to join with a few other republican senators and kill the tariffs.
Antique_Ice_2966@reddit
You know a lot of other countries have had tariffs on us and we are just equalizing it right
QuieroLaSeptima@reddit
The tariffs absolutely aren’t being used to lower trade barriers. That is not the purpose at all. Fuck outta here with that shit.
marihuano69x@reddit (OP)
Your leader is a chronic liar. Are we supposed to believe his numbers? Do these other countries really have these tariffs? Are VAT and other taxes being considered "taxes"?
Why still call yourself libertarian if you're advocating anti-trade measures and protectionism? Protectionism and anti-trade are not libertarian.
Antique_Ice_2966@reddit
I don’t categorize myself as any specific political group because it just divides us instead of seeing the real problem which is big government/corporations and bankers. What has been a lie exactly? IDK do you still believe Russia collusion is true and the hunter Biden laptop story is fake? That covid wasnt from china? That Lee Harvey Oswald killed JFK? Way more lies and suppression have come from the left. Do you believe the sky is blue? DYOR
Antique_Ice_2966@reddit
Yes they are. Worked for Columbia to take back THIER criminals. Israel eliminated their tariffs. Canada is putting tariffs on manatee meat? They are losing leverage. You have to call their bluff. You can’t just ask a country to lower tariffs without leverage. USA is taken advantage of at tax payers expense so every country can leach off of us instead of making their country better. My country is not a charity for ungrateful nations. I agree free trade is beneficial if it’s equal trade.
marihuano69x@reddit (OP)
Your leader is a chronic liar. Are we supposed to believe his numbers? Do these other countries really have these tariffs? Are VAT and other taxes being considered "taxes".
Why still call yourself libertarian if you're advocating anti-trade measures and protectionism? Protectionism and anti-trade are not libertarian.
strong_grey_hero@reddit
I agree on the individual rights, but what is the right approach when there is an unequal GDP between countries that makes labor dirt cheap in that country, or when there are unequal tariffs between two “free trade” countries?
peren005@reddit
Here’s a thought experiment: if trade deficit is such a sink then why does our economy grow with it? Reason being is majority of it returns as investments, etc.
Countries utilizing their comparative advantage is a good thing for all parties, it’s the Nash equilibrium.
Further it changes overtime as well naturally, as a nations economy moves from “3rd” World, to Developing, to advanced wages too rise. China is starting to go through this right now. I’d argue to not Fck with it.
https://tradingeconomics.com/china/wages
Buckshot1@reddit
Unilateral free trade is the only answer
beerm0nkey@reddit
Theocrats pretend to be libertarian so they can sucker you into giving them your vote. And it keeps working.
RedactedEvil476@reddit
I don’t like Trump’s across the board and blanket style use of tariffs and the instability it creates in the markets, but I support tariffs used in a case by case and carefully targeted way for national security, negotiations, countering certain practices, and targeted to certain industries and nations.
The truth is there is no truly “free trade” world. Countries economies and labor practices work differently, there are global tensions, other countries use tariffs also, and not all countries have our best interest at heart.
marihuano69x@reddit (OP)
A global minimun tariff of 10% for everyone is not a case by case basis. That's protectionism.
Why would someone claiming to be "right libertarian" support this? Have you read a single "libertarian" book?
RedactedEvil476@reddit
I stated I personally don’t support Trump’s tariffs. I agree the 10% minimum on everyone is a bad idea.
DerpDerper909@reddit
Yeah agreed. I would support “free trade” if other countries were following by the same rules. They aren’t, and some are taking advantage of the U.S in trading, so we need to balance the tariffs with them.
It isn’t free trade if only the U.S is doing it, then we are just being f*cked in the ass by other countries.
Reebtog@reddit
You're right - the tariffs are a terrible idea and just like every other time the government intervenes, it prevents the free market from functioning as it should. If they removed existing regulations to promote competition internally rather than introducing more government intervention then this would have been a much better result.
Alas, government is gonna government, the only way they know to address the problems they themselves have created is to double down and get more involved. It'd be nice if once they could see their failures and try stepping away to reverse the damage they've caused.
HesusHrist@reddit
there can be no free trade unless there is free trade so… it’s a tough deal. libertarians will never win
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