Bernie Sanders' War on Chinese Bobbleheads!

In the midst of a massive fiscal crisis, a take-no-prisoners budget battle, a historically long recession, and two (make that three) wars, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) knows what really matters.

He's pushing the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. to only sell bobble-heads, T-shirts, snow-globes, and other souvenirs that are made in America. After getting a letter from and taking a meeting with the self-described Green Mountain State socialist, the folks at the Smithsonian have agreed to increase the amount of domestically produced junk for sale in their gift shops. They're even constructing a new gift shop solely to products manufactured in America that will be called the Price of Freedom.

During a recent trip to the National Mall, Reason.tv found that such nativist grandstanding plays well with the man in the street, but CATO policy analyst Sallie James says protectionism doesn't come cheap. In fact, top-down attempts to keep Americans in low-level manufacturing jobs is a great way to ruin the economy, whether we're talking about Founding Father thimbles or higher-end electronics.

Produced by Joshua Swain, with help from Meredith Bragg, and hosted by Michael Moynihan.

Approximately 3 minutes.

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• america
• patriotism
• museum
• reason.tv
• reason magazine
• reason foundation
• trade
• policy
• bernie sanders
• bernie
• sanders
• china
• economic
• economy
• politics
• sallie james
• cato
• protectionism
• Smithsonian
• gift shops
• souvenirs
• socialism
• free market
• michael moynihan
• joshua swain

[BellTollsForThee]

Wow, a smart, hot girl! I would love more interviews on her!

[cstcy]

Unfortunately, a lot ordinary people don't understand what is "comparative advantage"!

[SarionFetecuse]

Or just ease the taxes and regulations to allow more companies to have production in the US?

[bluesparrowfish]

OUR FOUNDERS WERE ANTI-PROTECTI0NIST

[housewares]

SALLIE JAMES 2012

Birth certificate optional

[geehuckwow]

Congress is the enemy, not China, not unemployment, not the national debet. Necessities (food, housing and transportation), must be non-profit, and free to volunteers in necessity fields, in which case the NEED for a job would not be there. A person would work only 2 weeks to have all the necessities covered for the year (per person). Then, if allowed, small bizniz would spring up like dandelions. Capitalism can take over AFTER necessities. IT WOULD BOOM.

[GeneralWrath]

Her accent doesn't sound American.

[GeneralWrath]

@geehuckwow wtf are you talking about there is property tax there, plus millions of people kicked out of their homes regularly, do not envy the Chinese in any aspect. Their debt is even worse than ours! I am afraid if our government worked for free there would be much more rampant corruption.