The present is getting better. The future, not at all. Even as more Americans say the economy is improving, a clear majority remain fearful about their children’s financial prospects, according to a study released Monday. [NELSON D. SCHWARTZ] June 5th, 2017 [The New York Times] The pessimism is not limited to the United States, either,…

During the campaign, candidate Donald Trump called the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) a “disaster” and promised he would renegotiate it to make it “much better” for working Americans or withdraw from the deal. Today, Public Citizen is releasing the first two in a series of briefing papers on NAFTA’s outcomes since it went…

The road to a sustainable Democratic majority—nationally, locally, and in the states—must include much higher Democratic performance with white working-class voters (those without a four-year degree). Nearly every group in the progressive infrastructure is busy figuring out how Democrats can get back to the level of support they reached with President Obama’s 2012 victory. That…

Though it wasn’t included in the April state budget deal, backers of legislation aimed at boosting U.S. manufacturing are optimistic that a proposal to encourage the state to give preference to American-made goods will be passed this month as the legislative session winds down. [DAN ROSENBLUM] June 5th, 2017 [City & State New York] The…

Washington~ CPA released a report today finding soaring levels of imports and little or no increase in exports of fruits and vegetables despite “free” trade agreements. US fruit and vegetable trade performance has gone from nearly balanced trade in the early 1990’s to a massive $11.4 billion deficit in 2015. U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Trade…

By Jason Cooper (CPA Research Assistant), Jeff Ferry (CPA Research Director), Michael Stumo (CEO of CPA) Introduction Trade in many fruit and vegetables has been disastrous for US agriculture and American farmers over the last two decades, following ratification of free trade agreements, notably those with Mexico (NAFTA), Central America (CAFTA), and Chile. In many…

The U.S. has rejected a Chinese proposal to amend the World Trade Organization’s trade remedy rules, saying at a May 31 informal meeting of the WTO’s Rules committee that it would not participate in negotiations to change them, according to Geneva sources. [Brett Fortnam] May 31st, 2017 [Inside Trade] The U.S. said there was “no…

On Friday’s Breitbart News Daily, SiriusXM host Joel Pollak asked Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross about the possibility of a free trade deal with Europe in the wake of America’s withdrawal from the Paris climate accords. [John Hayward] June 2nd, 2017 [Breitbart] Ross recommended such a trade deal for several reasons. “First of all, Europe has…

In honor of Small Business Week, Inc. reporters deployed to several cities where they spent one day talking to owners and entrepreneurs in a particular sector about their challenges. [Leigh Buchanan] May 2nd, 2017 [Inc.com] Kevin Plank made a fortune from manufacturing. Now he wants to seed his adopted hometown of Baltimore with manufacturers, replacing urban blight with…

Steel attorney Jeffrey Gerrish, head of the law firm Skadden Arps’ international trade group and former colleague of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, will be nominated for the position of deputy U.S. Trade Representative, sources told Inside U.S. Trade. [Jenny Leonard] June 1st, 2017 [Inside Trade] Gerrish worked under Lighthizer, who previously ran the international trade…