Trade War - Zero Tolerance

If Pres. Trump can accept a Zero-Zero trade tariff with the European Union for automobiles and trucks, then it becomes easier to look at larger sectors of trade. I suggest asking the EU if they would open up all manufactured goods to Zero-Zero tariffs (and subsidies and other barriers to markets). If they accept, it becomes much easier to argue from a different perspective: instead of what small things can we do as Zero-Zero, we can ask our trade partners to put everything into two categories to simplify the early part of the process. The two categories are: the vast majority of things they would be willing to trade at Zero-Zero and the smaller number of things they want to control more closely.

Generally food products would fall into the control category, but there are some other things. For example, the EU has tighter controls on things like pesticides. Of course, things bearing on national defense would remain highly controlled. But, if we can just begin by sweeping aside a very large category of things into the Zero-Zero status, the financial markets and others who have a hand in the economy will see the results, calm down, and give some time for the rest of the 'controlled products' category to be settled.

One big step at this time should speed the rest of it.