Emboldened by Trump’s pledge to “buy American,” cattle ranchers across the country are trying to re-stoke the fires around country-of-origin labeling, lobbying for state legislation to take the place of defeated federal rules, reports Brent Griffiths for Pro Agriculture. The latest legislative effort is South Dakota Senate Bill 135 , a measure supported by the state’s Stockgrowers…
Sometimes the victories come so thick and fast, you have to sit down, take a deep breath, and count them. by Jeff Ferry, appears on The Hill And sometimes your victories come wrapped in so many layers of pious self-justifying twaddle that you don’t even recognize them. In the past few weeks, those of us who believe…
The 2016 election was a referendum on the imbalanced global trading system. It lost. President Donald Trump’s victory and Bernie Sanders’ insurgency both drew urgency and energy from the millions of livelihoods our trade deficits have cost. [Howard Richman, Raymond Richman, and Jesse Richman| February 10, 2017 |American Thinker] The vast U.S. trade deficit siphons…
MEXICO CITY—While the Trump administration talks of new import tariffs, there is already one in place that would slam manufacturers of pickup trucks in Mexico if the U.S. scuttles the North American Free Trade Agreement. [ROBBIE WHELAN| February 15, 2017 |Wall Street Journal] Under the so-called Chicken Tax first imposed more than a half-century ago, the U.S.…
DETROIT — There are many reasons for the steady success of the three major American automakers in recent years, but none are bigger than the surging sales of full-size pickup trucks. [Bill Vlasic| February 13, 2017 |New York Times] General Motors, Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler dominate the segment in the United States market, and they rely…
The Senate voted 53-47 to confirm Steven Mnuchin as Treasury secretary Monday night and could soon take up the nomination of Wilbur Ross for Commerce secretary. [Daily News| February 13, 2017 |Inside US Trade] Mnuchin gained the votes of all Senate Republicans and one Democrat, West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, after Democrats ran out of ways…
Wearing clothes that are made in the U.S.A. is almost a political statement these days. President Trump makes a point of highlighting any news that manufacturing jobs are being moved back to the United States, even though both his and his daughter’s eponymous lines are not made stateside. Ashley Biden, daughter of former VP Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, launched…
Passionate defenders of the “global rules-based trading system” should be wary of thinking their views are more informed than President Trump’s. He has been branded a protectionist and thus many conclude he is incapable of exercising world leadership. Meanwhile, those who embrace the virtues of global free trade disregard the fact that the “rules” are…
WASHINGTON—The White House is exploring a new tactic to discourage China from undervaluing its currency to boost exports, part of an evolving Trump administration strategy to challenge the practices of the U.S.’s largest trading partner while stepping back from direct confrontation. [Bob Davis| February 13, 2017 |Wall Street Journal] Under the plan, the commerce secretary…
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director The fear is growing that a rising dollar could sabotage any effort by the Trump Administration to improve the U.S. trade balance as a means of improving the health of our manufacturing industry. Commentators have suggested that the prospect of rising interest rates and higher U.S. economic growth, combined…
