America's massive trade deficit: Why BIG tariffs won't hurt the United States

[pampango]

156. You said that trade and the economy went up together and down together. That's correlation by

definition. The graph does not prove causation one way or the other but it certainly shows the correlation.

The downturn came before S/H; S/H was a leaf in the wind. That denies your theory of correlation.

Since I has said many times that S/H did not cause the downturn/Depression either you are agreeing with me or vice versa. The correlation that the graph shows and which you have stated - that the economy and trade go up and down together - does not show that S/H caused the Depression - which neither of us believes anyway.

"You are still light years away from causation."

Agreed, but we both are. A graph that shows that trade and the economy went up and down together over the course of the Depression does not by itself prove that one (either one) caused the other just that they moved in tandem. Looking at the graph, one side can say "Look when the economy goes up trade follows." The other side can say, looking at the same graph "No. When trade goes up the economy follows." To prove causation - that one caused the other - would take a lot more research than a mere graph.

"And you don't have to proclaim your policy of throwing American workers under the bus. Your actions speak loud enough.

Once again I yield to the Great Arbiter of DU who knows all and determines all. One disagrees with the Great Arbiter and one can be designated as unpatriotic - perhaps even a "Chinese-lover" or "foreigner-lover". But again, I yield the determination of the motives for my policy preferences to the Great Arbiter.

"How many TVs does Canada build in Canada? How about cell phones, computers, etc.?"

My answer is that if given a choice between living in a country that has effective national health care, progressive taxation, strong unions and a strong safety net (even if it does not produce its own cell phones and computers) or a country that makes its own cell phones and computers (but has no health care, regressive taxation, weak unions and little in the way of a safety net), you can probably guess which country I will choose to live in. If you would choose the country that makes its own cell phones and computers, then we will not be neighbors. And that probably does not break your heart.

"Nobody's saying that declining trade would lead to an improving economy."

What are you saying then? That declining trade would lead to a declining economy or that there is no connection between trade and the economy?