In this blog, I have but one question, regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which has just been made available for one’s reading pleasure. Here is my question. For an agreement that is touted as a free trade compact, why do we need a 5, 500 page document (parts of which I have read)? If we […]
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The 5,500 Page Behemoth
10 Nov 2015
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As the Obama administration has completed its negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders were quick to pounce: Trump tweeted The incompetence of our current administration is beyond comprehension. TPP is a terrible deal. Of course, agreeing with Mr. Trump on the first statement in no way […]
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What is that one good thing (among others)? It is that his exit is potentially a blow to the US Chamber of Commerce, that supposedly “conservative” group of business leaders who are really not conservative except in a very limited sense. Here is what is going on. The Chamber has decided it will spend over […]
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Some Questions to Ponder: Just Asking
15 Jul 2015
I have a few questions for thought today. I am not answering them, though the reader may well have some idea where I am on them. So just read and ponder. Please feel free to comment too. I have not read the Iran nuclear deal yet, but I understand it will aid Iran in developing […]
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TPP. TPA. I’m Confused–and Still Skeptical
12 Jun 2015
Andrew MCarthy has an interesting post in the National Review Online, in which he says opponents of the TPA (Trade Promotion Authority), which gives the president the authority to ask for an “up-or-down” vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the real legislation, are off base for their opposition. His argument is technically true. What is […]
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The Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement
05 Jun 2015
This short blog is just a follow-up to my colleague Jeff Haymond’s blog on the trade agreement before Congress now. Dr. Haymond defended the agreement on the correct grounds that it enhanced free trade and that free trade is good for everyone, at least in the longer run (and given some short-run and inevitable disruptions). […]
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There is another new book out on the alleged problem of inequality. This one is by Anthony Atkinson, a British scholar who wrote Inequality: What Can Be Done? The book was just released so I haven’t had the chance to read it yet, but Richard Epstein, a legal and economic scholar with New York University […]
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It began when the current Pope, Francis, succeeded Benedict XVI and proceeded to issue an encyclical dealing with economics. Many at the time defended him and argued that he could be interpreted in such a way as not to be overly critical of markets and capitalism. But Francis seems to have continued down an interesting […]
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Update on Trade Deal: Senate agreement gives new life with separate “currency manipulator” bill
14 May 2015
The WSJ reports today that a day after the Democrats in the Senate repudiated Mr. Obama, the Senate agreed to allow a vote on Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), once the Republican leadership agreed to allow a vote to force the administration to punish “unfair” trade in the form of currency manipulation. The concern have over […]
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Like a stopped clock being right twice a day, Mr. Obama is right on Trade Promotion Authority
07 May 2015
Readers of this blog know I’m critical of the Obama administration generally on economic matters, nevertheless, as we say from my home state of Arkansas, “even a blind hog can find an acorn every now and again.” The Democratic party has been generally hostile toward free trade for most of my life, while Republicans are […]
Bert Wheeler
Jeff Haymond
Marc Clauson
Mark Caleb Smith
Tom Mach