This argument doesn't pass much of sniff test since the United States already has regulations that act as trade barriers, despite not being a tariff. One great example is that chicken sold in the Euro zone cannot be sold here since it is not clorinated (clorinated chicken is illegal to sell in the EU) and must be to be sold in the States. Using a tariff for consumer safety doesn't really add up. Consumers in the states are willing to pay the for the imported product because a) it isn't actually lesser quality or b) the higher quality isn't worth the higher price. Therefore, preventing Americans from buying these products only makes them poorer. You question about the government passing regulation to protect the public is interesting. Typically, regulation is more of a left wing idea, so I do find it slightly comical that those on the right wing of the political spectrum may find it attractive to pursue tariffs to protect American consumers. I thought they were of the "let people make their own choices" persuasion.