It is a bit like fascism or racism, they would have us believe. What we should have instead of independence and autonomy is interdependence. What more level-headed Americans need to ask themselves is whether or not they really want to be dependent on China, Korea, Mexico, and a whole array of Third World countries just to be fashionable. Actually, the current collapse of the Asian economy may be a good thing for us, because it serves as a warning of where interdependence leads. And I will tell you now that everything I intend to say on this subject is from the very unfashionable viewpoint of a man who believes that autonomy is one of the most precious possessions a nation can have.
Autonomy is a prerequisite for freedom.
A nation which gives away its autonomy soon will lose its freedom as well. Well, of course, there are cases where unrestricted trade may be beneficial rather than harmful. Their wage scales and standards of living will tend to become equal. Eventually, their mores and ideas and attitudes also will become more similar. And their dependence on each other will grow.