|
Free Trade means cheating is ok. |
|
|
|
|
Written by Stumo
|
|
Wednesday, 14 May 2008 |
|
Trade always wins. Within the incestual amplification chamber
occupied by wacko free traders, you cannot slow trade because other
countries cheat on currency.
* Or because other countries cheat (or commit crimes) by putting poisons in your food.
* Or because other countries cheat by subsidizing exports through tax rebates.
*
Or because other countries cheat by replacing tariffs - dollar for
dollar - with value added taxes imposed on imports.
* Or because other countries cheat by generating unparalleled quantities of air and water pollution.
Another example was yesterday. John McCain, a self-described free trader, proposed a plan to reduce carbon emissions, responding to overwhelming pressure on the issue. What he deleted from his speech makes my point:
He decided at the last minute to delete from his speech a proposed
tariff on countries like India and China that defy international
agreements on emissions, partly because the tariff could be
misconstrued as hostile to free trade, which Mr. McCain supports.
China and India pollute, and violated international agreements to do
it. But "free trade" means cheating is ok. There are no
rules. You can sign agreements and ignore them.
 |
|
In the news
|
Today, the Labor Department revised up its estimate of second quarter productivity growth to 4.3 percent from its previous estimate of 2.2 percent. My forecast was 3.9 percent and the consensus forecast was 3.5 percent.
This is certainly good news for inflation and interest rate policy. Rapidly rising productivity growth coupled with easing oil prices will bring down headline inflation, as well as the closely watched core index of price increases, which excludes food and energy.
Simply, higher productivity permits businesses to better absorb increases in wages and benefit costs, and have something left over to help cover higher material costs. The Labor Department found that hourly unit labor costs actually fell 0.5 percent. Higher productivity should ease Federal Reserve fears about inflation and cause it to keep interest rates steady.
Rapidly rising productivity indicates U.S. industry continues to lead in the application of new and better methods for making and delivering goods and services, and continues to bang out great new products. The U.S. economy could perform very well with more supportive policies from Washington--getting the dollar exchange rate against the euro and Chinese yuan in line with prices; enlightened energy conservation, exploration and development strategies; and fixing the woes of banks and credit markets.
Friday, the Labor Department will report employment data for August. In July, the economy lost 51,000 jobs, and the consensus forecast is for another 75,000 jobs lost in August. My forecast is for a 65,000 loss.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
