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> I don't agree with Trump on much but I do agree that relying upon the market to fix all ills hasn't worked. We need to flex the economic muscle we have and ti

> I don't agree with Trump on much but I do agree that relying upon the market to fix all ills hasn't worked. We need to flex the economic muscle we have and tie trade to political reforms or find a way to bypass the powers that be and pull up the people directly. Otherwise, we are stuck in a race to the bottom. Yes, you have to have some common standards which undercut a race to the bottom, otherwise countries will compete by undermining each others protection and welfare systems. But you're implying that Trump believes this? Trump has always struck me as a 'cut regulation at all costs' candidate. And the real deal which must make this work will have to be international - perhaps to build these common standards into the trade deals. But Trump again stands directly opposed to that, he wants a 'my country first, beggar thy neighbour' solution, which cannot be sustained.

clavalle 9y ago
Fair points. I don't know what Trump's actual policy is when it comes to trade deals I was making (bad) assumptions on the fact that he backed out of or signaled backing out of some trade deals that relied too much on market forces doing the reform work for us.
- smpetrey 9y ago
  Trump (err well, The Whitehouse and his staff) don't have a policy on trade deals at the moment officially. But the GOP do. Some notables include: "International trade is crucial for our economy." [1] "Negotiate reductions in tariffs on U.S. industrial goods and the elimination of other trade barriers so that our autos, heavy machinery, textiles, and other products will no longer be shut out of foreign markets." [2] "Advance a Free Trade Area of the Americas to take advantage of burgeoning new markets at our doorstep." [3] Interesting to see how GOP ideals are forced to evolve at the helm of a madman president because the quoted text above around a decade old. [1] http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Republican_Party_Free_Trade.htm http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Republican_Party_Free_Trade... [2][3] Ibid.

clavalle 9y ago

Fair points. I don't know what Trump's actual policy is when it comes to trade deals I was making (bad) assumptions on the fact that he backed out of or signaled backing out of some trade deals that relied too much on market forces doing the reform work for us.

smpetrey 9y ago
Trump (err well, The Whitehouse and his staff) don't have a policy on trade deals at the moment officially. But the GOP do. Some notables include: "International trade is crucial for our economy." [1] "Negotiate reductions in tariffs on U.S. industrial goods and the elimination of other trade barriers so that our autos, heavy machinery, textiles, and other products will no longer be shut out of foreign markets." [2] "Advance a Free Trade Area of the Americas to take advantage of burgeoning new markets at our doorstep." [3] Interesting to see how GOP ideals are forced to evolve at the helm of a madman president because the quoted text above around a decade old. [1] http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Republican_Party_Free_Trade.htm http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Republican_Party_Free_Trade... [2][3] Ibid.