The end of free trade
I was at an event last week where a representative of the German government was asked to choose the best of the presidential hopefuls from a German-US relations perspective. Needless to say, he refused to do so, pointing out instead some concerns he had with each of the candidates. He rightfully pointed out that some of the Democratic hopefuls’ statements on trade have been worrying in the least.
Whatever his faults, McCain has been consistently pro-trade, and even his shift to the right doesn’t appear to have altered that stance much. He’s certainly added some of the “tough scrutiny” language conservatives like to see, but he also still open to expanding NAFTA and negotiating even more trade pacts internationally.
Now, I personally believe that the Democratic statements are just so much political rhetoric, and that the US will continue in its role as an advocate for free trade (if not always with the consistency one might like to see) with either side as president. That said, beating on NAFTA at a time of economic distress brings the issue to the public’s attention, and could lead to public pressure to become more protectionist and withdrawn. I don’t think so, but it’s still a sobering thought for those of who rely on trade for a living.
What do you think? Would either of the Democratic candidates pose a real threat to free trade?
Tags: candidate, Clinton, Democrat, mccain, NAFTA, Obama, tradeRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Doing biz in the US
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