Would Hillary Have Been Better on Trade Than Trump?

John Tamny in an interview with Jeff Deist says, "Yes":

Jeff Deist: John, What do you think of Trump pro and con?

John Tamny: What I like about Trump is probably what many do. He is not like other politicians. I like that he kind of says what’s on his mind. At the same time, I’m terrified by him. Trade is the purpose of our work. To import is the reason that we get up and go to work every day. Trump wants to limit our ability to do that. He’s bought into this falsehood that’s confused thinkers for years, that somehow, imports are what hurt us when in fact, imports are the award for all of our work and it also terrifies me that he thinks you can devalue your way to prosperity. Devaluation is the biggest enemy prosperity has ever known, simply because it’s the biggest enemy of investment. And so, I like the change, I don’t like politicians in general, but it terrifies me he could really be bad if he gives into his worst instincts.

JD: Do you think there’s a difference, fundamentally, between his vision for global trade and markets and what Hillary’s might have been?

JT: Yes. I legitimately do. I base this on the fact that her husband was a free trader and I feel like she ultimately would have been guided by some of his logic. I think Hillary moved against free trade simply because she thought it was politically expedient. I think in Trump’s case, when you look at his commentary and you look at his commentary going back to the 80s, we’re talking about someone still living in the 1980s, who back then felt that Japan was the biggest threat to the United States and thinks China is today and I would make the argument that if Japan and China didn’t exist, we’d have to invent them, so good have both those countries been for US economic growth. So, it concerns me. I think Hillary would have been more moderate, had she been elected. That’s not me giving a preference to her, but I think on trade, she would have been better.