If we go back in our history far enough we will find Herbert Hoover...who was an isolationist...and his isolationism was blamed for the Great Depression. I question that. The Great Depression was mostly due to over inflation of our stock market.

I'd really like to see some isolationism ( please God). We are one of the few countries in the world that needs no imports. Our resources make us self sufficient. Every country in the world wanted access to our markets. So our trade reps went to meetings with other countries, made a bunch of really BAD deals...gave away our markets in exchange for some promises that we might trade in other countries. Which rarely ever came to fruition.

While I lived foreign I got an up close and personal look at some of the products of other countries that we were 'competing' with. What a bunch of shoddily made pieces of junk. Who would need to compete with THAT?? They couldn't possibly compete with us on a level playing field. Of course our goods were priced higher, but since the quality was so much better it was a status symbol to own American made products.

Now they tell us that we need to compete with this crap from China. Good heavens.!! Who wants that trash anyway? I don't. It's expensive at any price b/c it's so shoddy. They're still shipping it in here by the mega-tons. Was this our punishment for NAFTA?

To manipulate the currency as China is doing is against the 'rules'...that's outlawed...but then, when we got off the gold standard...oooopsss...and then off the silver standard..double oops..and into fiat money we placed ourselves in this position. I've wondered for many years when the fiat money chickens would come home to roost...and I've bought gold...just in case. The foreign nations that are lending to us so we can buy this junk from China are losing confidence in our ability to repay as they see Georgie is doing zip about our financial overextensions. Confidence is the ONLY thing holding that dollar up. When that's gone..you can use the dollar for toilet paper.

I would advocate rescinding all trade agreements. Just let them hunger for our markets...and put our own people back to work in our own factories manufacturing goods from our own resources...to sell (OMG) in our OWN MARKETS.

RR