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Be wary of trade bashing

A major presidential contender has ranted against our Far East trade partners. Washington voters should be very cautious about endorsing this sort of campaign rhetoric.

Up to 80 percent of Washington’s production is sold overseas. Almost the entire soft white wheat crop goes to Japan. A major portion of the basin hay crops are sold in Far East as well as apples and cherries. They are a major buyer of Boeing aircraft.

Most readers do not remember the Great Depression. But one of the causes, according to economists, was the Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930. It caused a major increase in tariffs by other nations. It occurred when the U.S. created major trade barriers.

During the heat of the campaign, it is lost that Toyota has 11 factories in the U.S. Nissan manufactures 80 percent of its cars in the U.S. This is just a fraction of the interaction of foreign trade. So what does the voter in the state of Washington want? A repeat of that economic disaster?

Merl Gorton Jr.

Spokane Valley

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