China's Currency Policy is the Greatest Anti-Poverty Program in America, Why Should We Complain?

Warren Meyer writing in Forbes asks "Why Are Democrats Promising to Raise Prices?" by pressurng China to appreciate its currency instead of celebrating cheap imports from China as one of the most effective anti-poverty programs in America today?

Democrats claim the American manufacturing base is declining in the face of unfair competition from a Chinese government that is unfairly helping its own manufacturers through currency manipulation and export subsidization. To which I say: So what?

We should be thrilled that the Chinese government and its people see fit to spend their own money to subsidize lower prices for American businesses and consumers. Last week, President Obama put substantial pressure on the Chinese prime minister to revalue Chinese currency, a revaluation that would have the effect of raising prices of all Chinese goods in the United States. What possible sense does such a move make, particularly in a recession?

There is no question that if Democrats are successful in changing China’s currency policy and/or imposing new tariffs (taxes) on Chinese goods, prices will rise for all Americans, but particularly so for the lower income brackets that are supposedly the Democrats’ constituency.  In a sane world, Democrats would be celebrating Chinese imports as one of the greatest anti-poverty programs that exist in America today.