What Economists Think of Trade Issues

From a 2007 survey of a random sample of members of the American Economic Association, in which economists were asked to respond to the following statement:

The U.S. should eliminate remaining tariffs and other barriers to trade.

STRONGLY DISAGREE	DISAGREE	NEUTRAL	AGREE	STRONGLY AGREE	MEAN
1	2	3	4	5
1.5%	8.3%	6.8%	46.2%	37.1%	4.09

It's not too surprising, of course, that the vast majority of economists agreed with this statement.  However, I think it would be more interesting if they would ask the question a little more precisely.  For example, I can think of the following additional statements to be presented to economists:

 

1.  The U.S. should eliminate anti-dumping/countervailing duties.

 

2.  The U.S. should eliminate safeguard tariffs/quotas.

 

3.  The U.S. should eliminate internal measures that discriminate against foreign goods and services.

 

4.  The U.S. should eliminate measures that place too much of a burden on foreign goods and services and thus act as "barriers to trade."

 

5.  The U.S. should try to harmonize its regulations with those of foreign countries to reduce the burdens these regulations impose on trade.