OPINION:
Former President Donald Trump’s plans to protect (through tariffs and other methods) American companies operating within the United States will benefit not only our country but the entire planet.
For at least the past 50 years, our country has been adding and improving our environmental laws. As a consumer of air and water, I am all in favor of strong pollution control. With our country operating in a global economy for the past 40 years, our industrial base has been in a steep decline. Consider that meeting environmental regulations, such as pollution controls, generally entails significant costs for any manufacturing concern and consequently means higher prices for consumers.
This is where the free market fails the environmental movement. To succeed in a competitive international market, American companies must purchase supplies at the lowest possible cost. If their former suppliers have moved operations to another country because of lower production costs, American companies will have little choice but to do business with these offshore businesses.
It is well known that in many Third World countries, environmental regulations are either absent or ineffective. It is ironic that the global elite, which is ostensibly committed both to free trade and fighting “environmental racism,” often turns a blind eye to the industrial pollution in developing countries. The flight of industry from the United States to the developing world brings negative consequences to both.
In short, by adopting measures to strengthen and preserve America’s industrial capacity, our government can serve the interests of our citizens and contribute to the well-being of the global environment.
RILEY MAYHALL
Germantown, Maryland
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