The Thinking Man’s Anti-Trade Platform
Hard-hitting op-ed from Steven Pearlstein of the Washington Post on how and why the US is losing out in the bilateral trade relationship with China.
I disagree with many, if not all, of Pearlstein’s points. His evidence is one-sided, and many of the points against trade are shaky. Nonetheless, this piece succeeded in forcing me to rethink my assumptions.
Money quote:
There is a reason that, when it comes to trade and globalization, more Americans believe Lou Dobbs than Hank Paulson and Ben Bernanke — and it’s not because they’ve been bamboozled. The reason is that Americans perceive, correctly, that in recent years liberalized trade has not delivered as promised, that education alone is not the answer, and that neither party has come up with economic policies as tough and effective as China’s.
What do you think? Dobbs or Paulson? Is the US getting the short end on trade with China?
May 1, 2007 at 6:13 am
I direct your attention to a recent meeting at Council on Foreign Relations.
Audio MP3 available here: http://tinyurl.com/22pfq6
Suffice to say: I agree with most of Roach’s arguments.
May 1, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Xueleifung,
I read the transcript of this discussion last week and also thought it was excellent. Slaughter and Krueger especially have make some great points.
Thanks for sending this.
May 1, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I concur with you, both in disagreeing with the article, yet also in the value of reading it.