Hillary Clinton Needs a Language Lesson
4 December 2007
Editor, Financial Times
To the Editor:
Hillary Clinton needs a language lesson. She favors only trade that is found by government to "benefit[] our workers and our economy" and that promotes "rising standards of living across the world" ("Clinton doubts benefits of Doha revival," December 2). She then asserts that "There is nothing protectionist about this."
Oh please.
Protectionism exists whenever, wherever, and whyever government artificially raises its citizens' costs of buying imports. Protectionism has forever rested on the false notion that government officials know best how consumers should spend their money. And it attempts today to hide its ugly face behind the smiling mask of allegedly noble intentions, such as those mouthed by Sen. Clinton.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Editor, Financial Times
To the Editor:
Hillary Clinton needs a language lesson. She favors only trade that is found by government to "benefit[] our workers and our economy" and that promotes "rising standards of living across the world" ("Clinton doubts benefits of Doha revival," December 2). She then asserts that "There is nothing protectionist about this."
Oh please.
Protectionism exists whenever, wherever, and whyever government artificially raises its citizens' costs of buying imports. Protectionism has forever rested on the false notion that government officials know best how consumers should spend their money. And it attempts today to hide its ugly face behind the smiling mask of allegedly noble intentions, such as those mouthed by Sen. Clinton.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Wednesday May 14, 2008 at 11:42am