WASHINGTON — The bruising battle over President Obama’s push for the power to negotiate two potentially far-reaching trade pacts will shift this week to the House, where the White House faces entrenched opposition from Democrats and the stirring of rebellion from the Republicans’ right flank. [Reposted from The New York Times | Jonathan Weisman | …
You may have seen the headlines about today’s Reuters/Ipsos poll and yesterday’s Pew poll, touted as showing public support for trade deals. A close look at the polls reveals that they did not even ask about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Fast Track, the Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), or any other element of the controversial…
The U.S. defense industrial complex has entered a new phase of its centuries-long development, the latest characterized by globalization of supply chains and the inability of U.S. defense contractors and laboratories to drive technological change. Gone are the days when the Department of Defense could depend on American industry to provide it with high-tech components…
Some readers of this blog may be interested in seeking appointment to one of the Department of Commerce’s District Export Councils. See the official notice below. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration District Export Council Nomination Opportunity AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of opportunity for appointment to serve as a District …
China is weighing membership in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), President Obama said Wednesday, a move that raises the stakes for the president’s signature trade deal. [Reposted from The Hill | Ben Kamisar | June 3, 2015] Obama added that the deal would help provide a check on China, regardless of whether or not Beijing joins.…
BEIJING — China intends to project naval power in the open ocean in coming years, and not just defend the country’s coastal waters, according to a strategy paper released on Tuesday. [by Andrew Jacobs | May 26, 2015 | NY Times] The paper, the first policy document issued by the Chinese military in two…
Last week, President Obama’s credibility on trade policy took another punch in the neck. [Reposted from the Huffington Post | Stan Sorscher | June 1, 2015] For months, arguments in favor of the huge new trade deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership have fallen flat with the public. His “hit parade of failed arguments” gives the deal…
Supporters of Obamatrade won in the Senate by selling the idea that Fast Tracking would strengthen American power. They cited a letter signed by several former defense secretaries which claimed: [Reposted from American Thinker | Jesse Richman, Howard Richman, and Raymond Richman | June 2, 2015] There would be harmful strategic consequences if we fail…
It has been over 12 years since the last debate over Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) – the last time we considered the role of Congress in trade negotiations. Much has changed since then. The world has changed, trade negotiations have changed, and the role of Congress in trade negotiations has changed. [Reposted from the website…
The issue of currency management by U.S. trading partners that increases U.S. trade deficits has become a front-burner issue in debates over the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The discussion about whether or not trade deficits can really affect U.S. employment, however, occasionally gets very muddled. Here’s a quick attempt to un-muddle a couple different issues.…
