Writes Crutsinger,
The trade deficit with China jumped 19.4 percent to $21.6 billion, a development likely to increase pressure to crack down on Chinese trade practices seen by U.S. critics as unfair to American workers.
So far this year, the deficit is running at an annual rate of $553.4 billion, up 10.6 percent from last year's deficit of $500 billion."These deficits will continue crippling American growth and hiring," writes Alan Tonelson, U.S. Business and Industry Council research fellow.
The trade deficit OUGHT to increase pressure on our elected representatives in Washington to reject three so-called "trade deals" (really giveaways and protections to multinationals) -- likely to be sent to Congress soon. The deals are with Colombia, the most dangerous country in the world to be a union member; with Panama, a notorious tax haven and money launderer; and with protectionist South Korea, in the biggest deal since NAFTA.
Maybe the public will make a stink about Colombia, Panama and South Korea. But most members of Congress don't pay much mind to the voters. They pay attention to the corporate lobbyists, writes University of Oregon professor Gordon Lafer. In a GREAT op-ed today in The Hill, "Choose voters over donors on free trade," Lafer writes,
The majority of Americans opposes NAFTA-style treaties. It’s not just union members; only 27 percent of Republicans think “free trade” helps us. And no wonder: We’ve lost almost 5 million jobs since NAFTA was passed — many of them well-paying manufacturing jobs that were the backbone of the middle class. Millions of families have watched loved ones put out of work by companies who could make more profit in Mexico or China, leaving the public firmly opposed to such deals.
The minority that supports the NAFTA model, however, includes the country’s most powerful corporate lobbies. The strongest advocates of “free trade” are the Chamber of Commerce and multinational corporations such as GE, which sent tens of thousands of jobs overseas and built a profitable business helping others do likewise.
It’s particularly striking to watch Republicans on this issue. John Boehner is portrayed as captive to the Tea Party — but Tea Partiers are more opposed to NAFTA-style treaties than any other group of voters. Yet on this issue, their voices are ignored. When there is a conflict between the passions of their base and the dictates of their funders, Boehner and gang come down squarely on the side of the latter.
Republicans are famous for message discipline, but what’s remarkable right now is the lockstep silence on this issue. From Palin to Boehner to Fox and Rush — conservatives have agreed that it’s best not to alert the base to the fact that their leaders have crossed them.Maybe someone should tell the Tea Party what their representatives in Congress are voting for. Oh wait, the Koch brothres fund the Tea Party. Guess it just won't happen.
