Hawley, Willis C.; Smoot, Reed Willis C. Hawley (left) and Reed Smoot in April 1929, shortly before the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives. National Photo Company Collection/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (neg. no. LC-DIG-npcc-17371)

Protectionism, a policy of protecting domestic industries against foreign competition by means of tariffs, subsidies, import quotas, or other restrictions or handicaps placed on the imports of foreign competitors. Protectionist policies have been implemented by many countries despite the fact that virtually all mainstream economists agree that the world economy generally benefits from free trade.

Government-levied tariffs are the chief protectionist measures. They raise the price of imported articles, making them more expensive (and therefore less attractive) than domestic products. Protective tariffs have historically been employed to stimulate industries in countries beset by recession or depression. Protectionism may be helpful to emergent industries in developing nations. It can also serve as a means of fostering self-sufficiency in defense industries. Import quotas offer another means of protectionism. These quotas set an absolute limit on the amount of certain goods that can be imported into a country and tend to be more effective than protective tariffs, which do not always dissuade consumers who are willing to pay a higher price for an imported good.

Hawley, Willis C.; Smoot, Reed Willis C. Hawley (left) and Reed Smoot in April 1929, shortly before the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives. National Photo Company Collection/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (neg. no. LC-DIG-npcc-17371)

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Source: britannica.com

Heating Things Up –

It is summertime and the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline agents are heating things up by answering your food safety questions! Hotline experts keep the public safe from foodborne illness by answering calls on all sorts of food safety topics. Keep reading to learn about some of the most popular questions answered during summer. What’s Cooking Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures Food Poisoning Food Safety News for Educators Report a Problem Contaminated Carbo Load Stay Cool on the Hiking Trail If the warmer temperature draws you outdoors for a brisk hike through the mountains or even your local park, be sure to stay cool on the hiking trail with these simple tips.

Just 16 days left until Congress’ two-week-long recess, and with it one of our most important opportunities to strengthen our democracy.

We can’t get lost in the ever-changing news cycle and lose sight of our big goal: pass transformative democracy reform and eliminate the filibuster to do it. And as experts have told us, our top priorities need to pass in just a few short months, which is why we’re organizing around a Deadline for Democracy.

It’s going to take a massive wave of grassroots energy and support to do it, including pressuring every single senator to do the right thing and protect our democracy. Luckily, that sort of grassroots pressure is what this movement has been honing for years.

We’re putting the final touches on our big Deadline for Democracy plan (expect more details very very soon!), but we already know the big picture: events across the country, as much media coverage as we can muster, thousands of phone calls, and every other way we can make it clear to senators that their constituents demand real progress. We need your support to provide all the tools and resources it’ll take to pull it off. From writing scripts and hosting call pages to mailing out event merch to running ads and driving sign-ups, making this recess a success is going to cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The measures we’re demanding — the For the People Act and all our other top democracy reform bills — are what’s needed to build a better democracy and ensure fair representation for all. And our demonstration of people power will make it clear just how important these measures are. Every action you take has a real impact, and we’re grateful for everything you do to take part in this movement.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team