Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Why the Democrats’ love affair with ‘free trade deals’ is over

I believe the key words here are taking a break from free trade. Mostly too, I believe the free-trade-motif (so to speak) has been used enough times to line the pockets of the upper income percentile. Time for a change. While labor has disappeared to overseas facilities, the nation has not moved in a direction […]

Fast Track just passed the House (Updated with money facts)

Just want to let everyone know that the Fast Track bill just passed the house.  The vote was 218 to 208 with 28 Dem’s voting for it.  Imagine that.  no provision for workers harmed by this and it passes. From the article here is Ryan’s take: “It gives America credibility,” Ryan said of TPA. “And […]

Democratic Arithmetic vs Comparative Advantage: TAA, TPA, TPP

In reading around on reactions to the defeat of the TAA (Trade Adjustment Authority) component of the TAA/TPA (Trade Promotion Authority) Package needed to successfully pass TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership) I get the usual incomprehension as to why Democrats can possible oppose Free Trade given the proven mathematical reality of Ricardian Comparative Advantage. And the […]

It’s crunch time. Just a little reminder from Ross

Just a little reminder for everyone.  It’s not just his “giant sucking sound” comment.  It’s the time frame he noted, and the advantages to a business going to a foreign nation.  Well, tomorrow is the Fast Track vote and there are some dem’s who are not taking the threat of loosing their job seriously enough.

Latest World Trade Organization Lunacy

Dan Becker’s post Trans Pacific Partnership: A new Constitution gained a lot of traction because once again the public media is beginning to pay attention to trade policy. Angry Bear has carried a number of posts on the World Trade Organization intent and structure…here are several on the particular issue between Antigua and the US. […]

Copyrights and free market pricing

The New York Times points us to one anomaly in the idea of “free markets”. Dean Baker (and many others) of course has championed taking a more critical look at this set of issues for years.  But most readers know that “free market” is an election slogan and a metaphorical  apocryphal story line rather than  something […]

Did Romney speak blasphemously?

Of all the things being deconstructed regarding the debate last night, this is the one that stood out for me: QUESTION: The outsourcing of American jobs overseas has taken a toll on our economy. What plans do you have to put back and keep jobs here in the United States? Romney:…which will allow me as […]

U.S. Trade Deficit Largely Due to "Intra-Firm" Trade

by Kenneth Thomas U.S. Trade Deficit Largely Due to “Intra-Firm” Trade The vast majority of the U.S. $727 billion trade deficit in goods for 2011 is due to “intra-firm” or “related party” trade, that is, trade between two units of the same corporation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This is significant because such trade […]

Corporations pushing for job-creation tax breaks shield U.S.-vs.-abroad hiring data

The Washington Post points us to a thought that needs to be included in public debate. (h/t Stormy) Corporations pushing for job-creation tax breaks shield U.S.-vs.-abroad hiring data Some of the country’s best-known multi­national corporations closely guard a number they don’t want anyone to know: the breakdown between their jobs here and abroad. So secretive […]