Trump on trade




Donald Trump’s statement that “We take care of Japan, we take care of South Korea” and “we get virtually nothing” in return, and then tries to rebut it with facts. But this misses the point.

Mr. Trump’s claim that the U.S. relationship with East Asia is all give and no take resonates with his followers, not because they have weighed the evidence, but rather because their self-respect demands that it be true.

When you introduce evidence that Japan and South Korea are full partners who are pulling their weight, the response of Mr. Trump’s supporters isn’t to feel relieved that the situation is better than they had thought, but rather to cry, “Shut up, you shill for the establishment!”

Why are Trump’s followers determined to believe that the U.S. is being bilked? Because they are stuck in a time warp, mentally and emotionally. They need to believe that the world hasn’t changed much since the 1950s.

In those days, the economic gap between the U.S. and its global allies was much larger than it is today. In purely economic terms, those relationships were much more one-sided but still worthwhile in fighting the Cold War.

Similarly, America’s international economic position after World War II allowed most working-class whites—the kind of people who form Mr. Trump’s base—to own a decent home, buy a new car every few years and send their children to college.

When Mr. Trump promises to “make America great again,” he’s really promising to turn back the clock. Unfortunately, his followers aren’t willing to admit how unlikely it is he will succeed.

Brian J. Goldenfeld
Woodland Hills



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