What states support protectionism?

[Thomas]

Explain

[TPIG]

Considering states can't levy tariffs and trade barriers upon other states, one can't really ask "which states support protectionism", but you can ask which states have the largest number of people that support protectionism. To my knowledge, there is no state-by-state polling data on this issue, but obviously support for protectionism would be higher in rust-belt states where the perceived negative effects of free trade are the most obvious. Conversely, states with large information/tech sectors (like CA and NY) which have obtained the more visible benefits of free trade would have lower support for protectionism.

[Lechasseur]

I'd imagine that support for protectionism would be higher in the Midwest and in the South while opposition to it would be higher in the Northeast and in the West

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I believe shua posted a thread in the history board showing how the legislature voted by state for various wars and treaties. The main opposition to NAFTA, based on my recollection of that, was the upper Mid-West and upper New England.

[RINO Tom]

I'd imagine that support for protectionism would be higher in the Midwest and in the South while opposition to it would be higher in the Northeast and in the West

The Northeast?  I'd think the South is less protectionist than the Northeast.  I think there are an embarrassing number of Republicans who would have described their beliefs as pro-free trade (seeing it as a more conservative, limited government, anti-union stance) who blatantly flipped their views when they saw how protectionism could fit nicely with their cultural views, but still.  At best, I'd say the two are equal. 

Also, no one ever mentions the (IMO) obvious examples of the Plains states and Iowa/Illinois/Minnesota.  Those states absolutely benefit from freeer markets for multiple reasons.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I believe shua posted a thread in the history board showing how the legislature voted by state for various wars and treaties. The main opposition to NAFTA, based on my recollection of that, was the upper Mid-West and upper New England.

I don't think I ever did NAFTA. Was probably someone else who posted that.

I believe PA has been relatively protectionist for most of its history.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I believe shua posted a thread in the history board showing how the legislature voted by state for various wars and treaties. The main opposition to NAFTA, based on my recollection of that, was the upper Mid-West and upper New England.

I don't think I ever did NAFTA. Was probably someone else who posted that.

I believe PA has been relatively protectionist for most of its history.

Come to think of it, perhaps it was True Federalist.

[darklordoftech]

I believe PA has been relatively protectionist for most of its history.

Is that why they voted for Herbert Hoover in 1932?

[TheLeftwardTide]

Missouri has been historically very protectionist, no?

[Oldiesfreak1854]

The Trump states in the Rust Belt and coal country.

I believe PA has been relatively protectionist for most of its history.

Is that why they voted for Herbert Hoover in 1932?

No, that was most likely Quakers.  Keep in mind that many of these states were actually MORE R at the federal level when unions were at their peak and most solid in their support for Democrats.  (That's why I expected Trump to lose most of those states, but he did so remarkably well with the working class vote that he got them.)

[Hoosier_Nick]

Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia all come to mind.

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

I'd imagine that support for protectionism would be higher in the Midwest and in the South while opposition to it would be higher in the Northeast and in the West

Are you sure about the South being more protectionist? The South has always been very hostile to trade unionism, so I don't know if the South would be very supportive of protectionism. The Jacksonian Upper South/Appalachian regions sure, but the core such as  AR, TX,LA,FL, MS, GA,AL,SC,NC/VA,TN, would be free trade supporters.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I'd imagine that support for protectionism would be higher in the Midwest and in the South while opposition to it would be higher in the Northeast and in the West

Are you sure about the South being more protectionist? The South has always been very hostile to trade unionism, so I don't know if the South would be very supportive of protectionism. The Jacksonian Upper South/Appalachian regions sure, but the core such as  AR, TX,LA,FL, MS, GA,AL,SC,NC/VA,TN, would be free trade supporters.

Though perhaps an exception, I believe both of Alabama's Senators at the time may have voted against NAFTA; even one would have been a bit of an outlier in the South. I believe as well that among Reagan's few decisions to increase tariff protections were multiple cases in which tariffs were increased on textiles which are big in, among other states, Strom Thurmond's South Carolina.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I believe PA has been relatively protectionist for most of its history.

Is that why they voted for Herbert Hoover in 1932?

I think in the sense that it was one reason the state was generally quite Republican from the late 19th century until just after WW2, yes.  Certainly not the only reason.

[Frodo]

I would guess the Rust Belt, Appalachia, and the inland areas of the Northeast like upstate New York. 

The more cosmopolitan areas on the coasts with major ports, as well as the farming-intensive states in the Great Plains and the South would be more supportive of free trade, I would think. 

[Intell]

The North-East is much more protectionist than California (and the west), from my experience; though I would say most protectionist would be parts of new England, the midwest, appalachia and generally industrial areas.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Rural New England, as well as the mill towns and former mill towns along the rivers even in MA and CT; Upstate NY; NE, Central, NW, and SW PA (And yes PA is historically protectionist state), The rust belt (minus big metro suburbs with high end demographics like WOW, Chicagoland etc), and Appalachia down to Alabama. This overlaps into Western VA, Western NC, as well as the former mill towns and rural areas through NC, Northern SC and parts of rural GA.

There would also be strong support for it in the Eastern parts of WA and OR, where lumber has declined as an industry.

[TheLeftwardTide]

I'd imagine that support for protectionism would be higher in the Midwest and in the South while opposition to it would be higher in the Northeast and in the West

Are you sure about the South being more protectionist? The South has always been very hostile to trade unionism, so I don't know if the South would be very supportive of protectionism. The Jacksonian Upper South/Appalachian regions sure, but the core such as  AR, TX,LA,FL, MS, GA,AL,SC,NC/VA,TN, would be free trade supporters.

Though perhaps an exception, I believe both of Alabama's Senators at the time may have voted against NAFTA; even one would have been a bit of an outlier in the South. I believe as well that among Reagan's few decisions to increase tariff protections were multiple cases in which tariffs were increased on textiles which are big in, among other states, Strom Thurmond's South Carolina.

Alabama also has a much higher unionization rate than its surrounding Southern states, and disproportionately so:



Could this have had an effect in the NAFTA vote?

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

I'd imagine that support for protectionism would be higher in the Midwest and in the South while opposition to it would be higher in the Northeast and in the West

Are you sure about the South being more protectionist? The South has always been very hostile to trade unionism, so I don't know if the South would be very supportive of protectionism. The Jacksonian Upper South/Appalachian regions sure, but the core such as  AR, TX,LA,FL, MS, GA,AL,SC,NC/VA,TN, would be free trade supporters.

Though perhaps an exception, I believe both of Alabama's Senators at the time may have voted against NAFTA; even one would have been a bit of an outlier in the South. I believe as well that among Reagan's few decisions to increase tariff protections were multiple cases in which tariffs were increased on textiles which are big in, among other states, Strom Thurmond's South Carolina.

Good point. JFK used to rail against textile jobs fleeing MA to the Carolinas and other parts of the South in search of cheaper labor and less regulations.

[Don Vito Corleone]

I'd imagine that support for protectionism would be higher in the Midwest and in the South while opposition to it would be higher in the Northeast and in the West

Are you sure about the South being more protectionist? The South has always been very hostile to trade unionism, so I don't know if the South would be very supportive of protectionism. The Jacksonian Upper South/Appalachian regions sure, but the core such as  AR, TX,LA,FL, MS, GA,AL,SC,NC/VA,TN, would be free trade supporters.

Though perhaps an exception, I believe both of Alabama's Senators at the time may have voted against NAFTA; even one would have been a bit of an outlier in the South. I believe as well that among Reagan's few decisions to increase tariff protections were multiple cases in which tariffs were increased on textiles which are big in, among other states, Strom Thurmond's South Carolina.

Alabama also has a much higher unionization rate than its surrounding Southern states, and disproportionately so:



Could this have had an effect in the NAFTA vote?

>TFW New York has the highest unionization in the country

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

The smart ones.

[RINO Tom]

Total guess based on simple assumptions.  I'll also say that I think a HEALTHY majority of voters don't really have a concrete opinion on trade.  There are millions and millions of Republicans who probably went from, "free markets are the best markets!" to "America first!" just because Trump phrased it in the right way, and the opposite is probably true of Democrats who went from distrusting "deregulation" to thinking, "free trade is a big city thing, so I support it!"  Not folks on this site, but lots of ordinary folks.  The more fascinating splits would be within some of the states.  I'd be open to changing a huge chunk of these or defending my picks, but this is how I think voters in these would answer this simple question without any politicians or political parties name dropped:

"Do you generally support free trade or protectionism?"

[RINO Tom]

The smart ones.

Yes, protectionism is SO favored by economists, LOL.

[White Trash]

Total guess based on simple assumptions.  I'll also say that I think a HEALTHY majority of voters don't really have a concrete opinion on trade.  There are millions and millions of Republicans who probably went from, "free markets are the best markets!" to "America first!" just because Trump phrased it in the right way, and the opposite is probably true of Democrats who went from distrusting "deregulation" to thinking, "free trade is a big city thing, so I support it!"  Not folks on this site, but lots of ordinary folks.  The more fascinating splits would be within some of the states.  I'd be open to changing a huge chunk of these or defending my picks, but this is how I think voters in these would answer this simple question without any politicians or political parties name dropped:

"Do you generally support free trade or protectionism?"

I think you're really underestimating protectionist sentiments in Missouri and the PNW.

[RINO Tom]

Total guess based on simple assumptions.  I'll also say that I think a HEALTHY majority of voters don't really have a concrete opinion on trade.  There are millions and millions of Republicans who probably went from, "free markets are the best markets!" to "America first!" just because Trump phrased it in the right way, and the opposite is probably true of Democrats who went from distrusting "deregulation" to thinking, "free trade is a big city thing, so I support it!"  Not folks on this site, but lots of ordinary folks.  The more fascinating splits would be within some of the states.  I'd be open to changing a huge chunk of these or defending my picks, but this is how I think voters in these would answer this simple question without any politicians or political parties name dropped:

"Do you generally support free trade or protectionism?"

I think you're really underestimating protectionist sentiments in Missouri and the PNW.

I mean, multiple states on here would have huge areas where protectionism is favored, I just think they'd usually be outnumbered.  Rural Missouri would likely support protectionism, but it's a pretty small minority of the state's total population.  As NC Yankee said, I'm sure Washington and Oregon are mostly protectionist outside of the big metros, but those metros are huge chunks of the population ... you might be right on the PNW, though.  I'm not familiar with how Seattle and Portland people would feel, and I could easily see them take a more "Bernie-esque" view on the issue.