by Michael Stumo Paul Ryan and Barack Obama have been pushing the Trans-Pacific Partnership as a trade agreement. We know from past experience these deals promote other countries’ market access to US consumers more than they promote exports. But the TPP is more about global governance and sovereignty than trade. President Obama spoke at Nike…
Despite the absurdity of many aspects of the Republican Party platform, there is still one issue where Hillary Clinton and the Democrats are highly vulnerable. [Christopher C. Currie| July 18, 2016 |Providence Journal] Despite the absurdity of many aspects of the Republican Party platform, there is still one issue where Hillary Clinton and the Democrats…
Major trade deals should not be voted on during lame-duck sessions of Congress, the Republican Party’s official platform states. [Daily News| July 18, 2016 |Inside US Trade] The platform – introduced today at the party convention in Cleveland – doesn’t name the Trans-Pacific Partnership or take a stance on it, but it does come out against a…
Unions plan to use the summer congressional recess to hold congressional incumbents and candidates accountable for their stances on a possible lame-duck Trans-Pacific Partnership vote, according to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. [Daily News| July 15, 2016 |Inside US Trade] “Every candidate [running for a seat in Congress] will be asked and we will demand an…
A thought experiment considers a hypothesis for the purpose of thinking through its consequences. So to better understand “free trade” as we currently practice it, let’s postulate evacuating one of our states and populating it with millions of imported workers. With apologies to the Show Me state, let’s go to the heartland and pick Missouri…
To win the presidency, Donald Trump must overcome skepticism among many voters about his positions on free trade, immigration and many other issues. On trade, that is hardly an insurmountable task. [Peter Morici| July 13, 2016 | Town Hall] Lowering tariffs and other barriers to international commerce better permits businesses and workers to specialize at…
If the host of vampires attempting to suck the lifeblood out of American manufacturing and industry is any indication, U.S. trading policy has become a real live horror show. [Paul Nehlen| July 13, 2016 |JS Online] The nightmare has been deepening for decades with every massive, multinational, crony trade deal we’ve embraced. Now, the looming…
Donald Trump’s top three picks for a running mate – former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie – may be nodding along with the New York businessman’s defensive stance on trade now, but past records show they have a soft spot for free trade. There is a…
The United States on July 13 announced a new WTO case against China over its continued use of export duties on nine raw materials that are driving up the cost of production in the United States, saying the duties violate provisions of China’s accession protocol. [Daily News| July 13, 2016 | Inside US Trade] In…
New polling for Public Citizen provides powerful new insights about the public’s views on the trade issue generally, the Trans-Pacific Partnership specifically, and one of TPP’s central components – Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). This unique survey of likely voters identifies key targets in the trade debate among Democrats, independents and Republicans and demonstrates how…