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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: craig crawford who wrote (236641)	3/12/2002 9:44:20 AM
From: Dan B.	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

Craig, The case made, that protectionism helped cause us to become the "largest industrial superpower on earth," is quite weak. It is not enough to show that protectionism existed during America's rise. The glaring difference between us and the rest of the world over these last 200 years has been that we've had MORE freedom, and MORE free trade here, than anywhere else(THIS is at the root of our success!- and there was no freer trading place). The evidence, if particulars are examined, indicates that our protectionist policies brought harm to our progress in each instance. China has been highly protectionist pretty much forever(with a brief spat of increasing trade levels with us in the 1800's when China flourished a little, for the while it lasted). Improvements in China have resulted from the recent advent of MORE free trade than it has allowed itself for a long long time, if ever. Certainly, it is foolhardy to suggest China has improved because of newly instituted protectionist policies! There is every reason to see that China's protectionist policies only hold it back from what it could achieve. Freedom isn't a radical concept. Freedom is basic and true. Freedom is just to be considered as par for the course we should take. Freedom doesn't solve all problems, rather it demands responsibility, and only allows us a free chance to solve them. Imagined utopian realities ought be imagined as the product of our long term efforts, not of freedom itself, which is but a key factor allowing learning to take place more rapidly. As any scientist worth his salt will affirm, "the more we learn, the more questions we are left with." This conundrum is best dealt with with Freedom, so that we may freely tackle the questions. There are no final answers to be had magically from freedom alone, but nothing ensures we head in a positive direction the way maintaining Freedom/free trade can. Freedom is no more nor less than the most efficient and humane way to deal with ever present and changing problems that will likely always come down our worldly pike- despite how well, Freedom Works best, Dan B.