MI-09: Skinner drops out of Dem primary PDF Print E-mail
Written by Stumo   
Tuesday, 26 February 2008

Nancy Skinner is dropping out of the Democratic primary race against Gary Peters in Michigan's 9th District.  Her stated reason is that Peters is raising much money, and she is not.  The 9th District is in the northwest Detroit suburbs. 

The incumbent is Joe Knollenberg.  He narrowly beat Skinner in 2006. Knollenberg votes for all trade agreements. 

This Peters v. Knollenberg races is being watched nationally because it is in play.  Peters has this to say on his website, regarding trade:

We must make China and Korea play by international rules and we must demand that the world trade organization (WTO) address non-tariff barriers that prevent the importation of U.S. made products into their markets. In Congress, I will demand the President pursue cases in the WTO against China and Japan under WTO rules that prohibit the use of currency manipulation to gain unfair trade advantages. I will also work to ensure that the U.S. Trade Representative’s Annual National Trade Estimate report include as defined trade barriers: currency misalignment, non-ILO labor practices and weak or non-existent environmental standards. 

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written by China Watcher , March 10, 2008
Well, two cheers for Gary Peters. He's a bright and likable fellow. Much of what he says points in the right direction for "change." His trade position in particular falls short, although it's mostly right. Making China et al. "play by the rules" when the rules themselves are so weak, vague and outdated as to be useless, doesn't translate well into Chinese. It's an empty threat. Ditto the tough words on "prohibiting" currency manipulation. No country can do that unilaterally.

What we can do is: 1) establish a remedy under US trade laws to offset the injury caused by the misalignment of foreign currencies a la the Ryan-Hunter legislation; 2) reform our woeful tax system so that imports pay their fair share and exports are no longer double-taxed by adopting a consumption tax that makes us competitive with the rest of the world; and 3) do this and more as part of a coherent national economic strategy that gives all American producers in all sectors a fair chance to compete successfully in the global economy.

This critique is obviously a bit hard on Peters. He's never served in Washington, much less on the Ways and Means Committee as he aspires. But his party speaks more about change than it has practiced it. What is the Democrat strategy for international competitiveness? If it doesn't include a border-adjustable tax, it is, as Hillary likes to say, "just words." There is little reason to think that a Democrat majority will suddenly figure out what change is all about unless candidates like Peters start dragging them into the 21st Century. Let's hope he is joined by a lot of new blood and that collectively they're up to that task.
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