The Trans-Pacific Partnership, until recently background noise for many Americans, is about to become another field of battle in Washington. As of last week, when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe concluded an unusually long state visit, we’re on notice: This pact is probably in trouble. [Reposted from The Fiscal Times  |  Patrick Smith  |  May…

Friday, the Commerce Department is expected to report the March deficit on international trade in goods and services was $42 billion, up from $37.8 billion in February. [Reposted from the blog of Peter Morici  |  Peter Morici  |  May 4, 2015] Trade with Japan, Germany, South Korea, and China account for most of the trade…

  Even in these days of light-speed communication, some information still travels just about as slowly as in the medieval era. [Eamonn Fingleton | May 3, 2015 | Forbes] Take, for instance, the history of global manufacturing since World War II. In the Anglophone world, many if not most of the more prominent commentators have…

President Obama’s strategy in pursuing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has been altogether characteristic of his Administration’s attitude: “My way or the highway. [Reposted from Breitbart  |  Kevin Kearns  |  May 1, 2015] So what were 26 freshmen Republican House members thinking when they recently signed a letter promising to work with the president on Trade…

Last week’s congressional committee votes to give President Obama “Fast Track” negotiating power may go down in economic history as among the most self-destructive ever.  The leaders of the Republican Party betrayed their voters, may have destroyed their own political careers, and may have even destroyed America’s economic future. [Reposted from American Thinker  |  Howard…

  To persuade Congress to give him authority for concluding negotiation of a proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement, President Obama is emphasizing that such an undertaking is essential to national security. [by Clyde Prestowitz | April 29, 2015 | The Hill] The appeal to patriotism is always powerful, but in this instance…

  Ty Cobb was a famous baseball player. Infamous, really. He set 90 Major League baseball records, some of which continue today. He was skillful but also mean; he had a reputation for playing dirty. Cobb was known for spiking other players: sharpening his cleats and sliding into them. Nobody much liked playing against him.…

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Democratic Senator Robert Menendez said on Monday he would strongly resist any attempt to override a human-trafficking amendment to trade legislation that some say could derail a Pacific trade pact. [Reposted from Reuters  |  Richard Cowan; Krista Hughes; Leslie Adler  |  April 28, 2015] The amendment, approved by the Senate Finance…

Obama and GOP leaders intensify push to win votes after warning that support in the House may be lacking [Reposted from the Wall Street Journal  |  William Mauldin and Siobhan Hughes  |  April 30, 2015] President Barack Obama and Republican leaders intensified their push Thursday to win votes for major trade legislation after lawmakers warned…

President Obama will hit the road next week to push his trade agenda during a visit to Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton, Ore. [Reposted from The Hill  |  Jordan Fabian  |  April 30, 2015] Obama will urge Congress to pass a trade promotion authority (TPA) bill, an important step in finalizing a sweeping trade agreement with…