Tariffs were very strong American worker wage protection, HENCE corporations hate tariffs.

[Armstead]

46. The OP did not say uniform tariffs on every country for every product

The OP was discussing the basic concept of tariffs. That does not automatically mean uniform tariffs against everything. It is not all or nothing.

China has proven to be a rather shitty trading partner that has sucked jobs out of the US. That is a different situation than, say, a country that we have to import a raw material or energy source that we do not have enough of. It is also a different situaiton than, say a country with roughly equivalent salaries and standards as us.

If tariffs are applied judiciously, to allow for trade without opening our doors to dumping of goods or massive outsourcing of US jobs, then they can be a useful tool to protect -- yes protect -- our domestic economy and standards for such things as environmental protection. The net result can also be beneficial for trading partners if they realize they have to pay their workers decently and not totally screw up the planet in order to export to the US market.