The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is bleeding members, especially domestic manufacturers.  Members have tried to get NAM to work for neutralizing China's currency manipulation.  There are good bills in Congress to neutralize the misalignment through changing U.S. trade laws. (HR 2942 and S796).  NAM has resisted.

An email went out from NAM today, on NAM letterhead, to members, as part of the association's attempt to head off reform.  It appears below the fold.

Dear Presidents Council Member:
 
Treasury Secretary Paulson is speaking tomorrow and has asked if we have a couple of companies that have seen their competitiveness with China improve recently as a result of the appreciation of the Chinese currency.  In our view, this will actually be a result of several factors: the currency, rising costs of labor and other factors of production in China, and the increased cost of shipping due to higher oil prices.  But the currency is certainly a factor in this overall increase in the price of Chinese goods.  If you currently are experiencing increased competitiveness with Chinese-made goods and would be willing to have your company cited by Secretary Paulson in his speech, please let us know as soon as possible. Please contact me at (202) 637-3048 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Pat Mears at (202) 637-3141 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Thanks

It's folks like this that are trying to keep us in this mess.

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written by Robert Jones , June 09, 2008

The NAM remains a major conundrum to American based companies. While helpful on domestic policy issues they are hopelessly adrift on trade policy as illustrated by their abandonment of American interests on issues like currency. At a meeting on trade some time ago a question was posed (paraphrased) as to whether the NAM existed to represent the concerns of American manufacturers in DC or to defend and sell the Bush adminstration's failed trade policies. Good question. As NAM members understand they are not being represented they have been leaving the organization. While the NAM closely guards membership rolls, indications are that defections to smaller, more representative of American interest organizations are significant. Sadly, this venerable organization has become deserving of the not so tongue-in-cheek lable National Association of Multi-Nationals. Their position on currency, FTAs and other issues continues to fail American manufacturers.

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