U.S. Tariffs for All--Except Russia? A Ricardian Critique Fundraiser - Econ Lessons

[TexasTowelie]

Free trade makes us all rich and the world a better place. It brings this human community together. Tariffs and walls hinder economic growth. At least that is what David Ricardo wrote about, backed up by Adam Smith, Mises, Hayek, and other economists like Milton Friedman. Then why is the US not closing its doors to trade when we know trust and good rapport, not protectionism and isolationism, which lead to justice and prosperity? What is the geopolitics behind it, or economic rationale?

My name is Mark, and I am an Economist, conducting a critical analysis of U.S. trade policy through the lens of David Ricardo’s theory of free trade. While the U.S. imposes tariffs on many global partners, including close allies, it paradoxically allows many Russian goods to enter without similar restrictions. This Ricardian critique highlights the inconsistency between proclaimed values and real-world policy by drawing from Ricardo’s 1817 argument that free trade benefits all of humanity. Does the current U.S. approach reflect economic principle or geopolitical contradiction?