Thinking on Protectionism

Aside from the monster problems with protectionism (like the hit to our small local businesses who employ 2/3rds of our workforce, and exist largely because you and I can buy items from countries who produce them the cheapest [saving money with which to lavish onto our local employers] -- not to mention the subtle robbing of our ability/freedom to do business wherever and with whomever we choose), it threatens the stories behind the headlines below (save for the last one). Stories, by the way, that (save for the last one) not only make America richer, they make it safer. Per (it's believed) Frederic Bastiat:

Where goods don't cross borders, soldiers will.

 From this morning's headlines:

General Motors and Honda Motor expected Monday to announce expansion of their collaboration on fuel cell technology....

Deluxe Entertainment, a U.S. company which makes visual effects for Hollywood movies and television shows such as HBO's Game of Thrones, said it had hired an investment bank to look for partnership opportunities in China, the world's second-largest movie market.

America's third-biggest cereal company, Post Holdings , and the UK's Associated British Foods are among a group of four bidders vying for British cereal brand Weetabix

Ant Financial, the financial technology company controlled by billionaire Jack Ma, stepped up its international expansion by buying U.S. money-transfer service MoneyGram International Inc.

MoneyGram's stock soars after deal to be bought by Alibaba's Ant Financial

Canada’s AltaGas in $6.4 billion deal to buy Washington D.C. utility WGL WGL shares shoot up after hours Canada’s AltaGas Ltd. reached a $6.4 billion deal to buy WGL Holdings Inc., Washington, D.C.’s natural-gas utility, more than tripling its customer base.

AMC Entertainment Holding Inc. announced Monday a deal to buy Stockholm-based Nordic Cinema Group Holding AB for the equivalent of $292 million in cash. 

A unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is buying a German maker of pipe components, Willhelm Schulz GmBH, according to a on Monday.

After 90 years, Vegemite is Australian-owned once again Mondelez sells popular Aussie spread to Bega CheeseVegemite, 

And, alas:

Biggest U.S. Takeover in China in Decade Hangs on Board Spat: Air Products & Chemicals Inc., attempting the largest U.S. takeover of a Chinese firm in more than a decade, has hit a bump as a boardroom battle drags on at Yingde Gases Group Co.