tlf trump and xi sittin in a tree RIP VAN FRIEDMAN

Where does one begin with Thomas l Friedman's shtick?

Let's just limit ourselves to the good tariffs, and mention what TLF is trying to protect:

'... focused on protecting critical US industries--from microchips to robotics to machine tools-the foundation of the 21st C economy which, for national security reasons, do not want to see migrate entirely to China....'

I cannot tell you how many things are wrong with this account from a policy standpoint.

He admits up front that we must protect the last visible tip of the 21st C economic iceberg, the tech tip, and leave the rest of a traditional economy, how the average person lives, offshored and submerged in China....

Let's just start with machine tools, as merely one example, of something he thinks is still here to protect. 

Decades ago, Prestowitz, Trading Places, bemoaned the migration of the bulk of our machine tools industry to Japan. Back then! Not now! About 40 years ago......

I could go on and on with this very brief passage paraphrase.....

Most of the chips and robotics are already gone. I don't know what TLF is smoking.

We gave up on national security reasons for anything having to do with trade about 4 decades ago. Where has Mr globalization TLF been sleeping these past 40 years. Rip Van Friedman.

HE DOESN'T WANT TO SEE THESE LAST FRAGMENTS, FAUX CRUMBS NOW, REALLY, OF A HIGH TECH ECONOMY, NOT A FULL BLOWN SUBSISTENCE ECONOMY, MIGRATE ENTIRELY TO CHINA.