In an interview on Fox News this morning, the former Alaska governor claimed that our growing trade deficit with China has become a national security risk and outlined her strategy for reversing the trend.
“We need to quit eating so much darn Chinese food,” she told Fox and Friends’ Steve Doocy. “Don’t Americans realize that the Chinese are taking too much of our money already?
“Every time I go to Wal-Mart all I see are ‘Made in China’ labels. Toys. Televisions. Those things you screw into the ceiling to make light come out. Everything is made over there nowadays.
“It’s hard to find American-made televisions. But can’t we go without Chinese take-out? There are so many good, old-fashioned American choices out there. Ever heard of pizza?”
The United States has had a trade deficit with China for decades, as its consumer-driven economy devoured China’s cheap manufactured goods.
The deficit with China hit a record $318 billion last year as a recovering economy pushed U.S. imports higher.
Not included in those statistics, however, are sales made at Chinese restaurants in the United States. Because these businesses are typically locally owned and use locally sourced ingredients, eating Chinese food has a negligible impact on the U.S.’s balance of trade.
This seemingly obvious fact was not lost on Doocy, who attempted to alert Palin to her mistake.
“Sarah, you know I love you,” he remarked, “but Chinese restaurants are part of the local economy. The food doesn’t actually come from China.”
“Steve, that’s ridiculous,” Palin replied. “Why is it called Chinese food if it doesn’t come from China?”
Palin served as governor of Alaska from 2006 to 2009. She was the Republican Party’s candidate for vice president in 2008.