Colin Grabow

Colin Grabow, Associate Director at the Cato Institute, and Sara Fuentes, VP for Government Affairs at the Transportation Institute, engage in a spirited debate over the Jones Act. Grabow argues that the Act inhibits U.S. growth by increasing shipping costs, while Fuentes defends it as crucial for national security and American jobs. They discuss the historical context and implications for maritime commerce, energy policy, and potential fallout from repealing the law, leaving listeners to ponder the balance between job security and transportation efficiency.

Colin Grabow, Associate Director of the Cato Institute's Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, unpacks flawed tariff arguments. He reveals how tariffs often harm consumers more than help them. Grabow discusses the unintended consequences of leaving the Trans-Pacific Partnership and critiques the misconception of seeking self-sufficiency in trade. He also debunks the myth that tariffs boost manufacturing jobs, instead emphasizing the importance of free trade for foreign investment and economic growth.

Colin Grabow discusses the importance of balancing industry protection and free trade for national security. Strategies include deregulation, immigration reform, and collaboration with allies like Japan and South Korea to strengthen US manufacturing and address protectionism effects on the shipbuilding industry.