In and ideal world there would be no tariffs, but we do not live in that world. We live in a world rife with mercantilism that is being applied by whomever thinks they can get away with it. Therefore, the job is to try to bring the real world closer to the lassie-faire, free-trade world and perhaps the removal of the mercantilist agenda from the trade going on. People don’t like being on the receiving end of the mercantilists.