Hacker News Reader

Comment by thrownaway2424 | Hacker News Reader

The solution is to tax goods originating in places with inferior environmental (or labor, or human rights, or whatever you care about) standards to the degree that the difference in regulatory costs is moot.

View on HN

An interesting addition to that would be any tax revenues originating from such country would be earmarked/donated to go back directly to that country to improve environmental, labor or human rights standards. By donating it back to the country, it becomes less of a protectionist tariff and would potentially improve conditions there, but at the same time would make companies in the US who are subject to stricter regulation more competitive.

The solution is for the Chinese to get serious about the environment, or just die off (or, if lucky, emigrate to Cali) as they've rendered their own country unlivable.

Good luck telling voters that everything at Walmart now costs twice as much. Our economy and infrastructure is now dependent on cheap goods from China. Peoples perceived standards of living have gone up because we buy all this cheap garbage.

What career politician is going to do this?

If you think voters would comprehend a debate about tariffs, on its own merits, you are vastly mistaken.

I'm not saying people would accept this. Most people are selfish, craven, and ignorant. What I am saying is it is immoral to require standards of production for your own citizens, but allow free trade with nations that lack such standards.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com