MAULDIN: Americans Will Pay for Trump’s "America First" Plan

8:52 "Prices go up, but your taxes come down RADICALLY…" — IN THEORY. I cannot remember many governments reducing taxes in exchange for an increase in taxes somewhere else.

trump the crypto nazi.

A value-added tax is very regressive, hurting the poorest people the hardest. It also does nothing to bring jobs back to the United States, which has seen middle class jobs exported. The money saved only partially keeps prices low, because much of the savings simply goes to corporate profits , which against benefits the wealthy who hold financial instruments over the poor who hold none. In the 19th century, the US government was largely funded by tariffs, which allowed America to build native industries. I'm all for "free trade" but the truth is there hasn't been any free trade in the world for a long time. I don't think you've done an adequate job of backing up your arguement.

Wow, Mauldin, I'm sorry man, you need to get out of the ivory tower more often. When Ford moves its factory to Mexico, do they ever reduce the price on the vehicles they produce? While we might see stickier prices, seeing a price decrease is unlikely. Companies aren't outsourcing to reduce the price for consumers, they're moving to increase profitability, and this is reflected in the buoyant stock market reaching ever higher monuments.

We are not protecting our economy from Mexican competition, we are protecting our economy from unscrupulous, American-when-it-suits-them multinational firms. I know deep down you know this, but hiding it and going with textbook trade theory shows a lack of understanding of your audience and followers looking to you for real insight. We are the students of international economics who grew up and realized the trade economics textbooks and lessons we were taught are a complete load of a four-letter-word. So lets get real here, you aren't giving a paid speech to Wall Street, you're talking candidly with the world. Tell us how we can really make America great again, like it was in the early '90's before NAFTA and China in the WTO, when everything was cheap and people could afford educations for their children, homes for their families, and retirements that were peaceful and fulfilling. Can you tell us how to get that back? And please don't tell me trade liberalization, when the trade deficit is wider than in 2012. Please don't tell me re-education, when the price is unaffordable and not likely to be obtained by someone who must first ensure their own survival.

We've been listening to Luddites for a couple of centuries now, and yet we keep adapting and finding new ways to utilize labor. Technology is often blamed for the demise of labor, but no company is moving factories to Mexico because they have better robots.