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Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The Solution to Growing Unemployment: Free Trade Deals?
Today, the Bush Administration issued a veto threat against H.R. 5794, the Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008.
Please read the following and see if you can spot the non sequitur:
The Administration is deeply committed to continually fostering an environment where every American who wants a job has a job. The Administration believes the best way to help workers is to create an environment that encourages job creation and to promote effective job training. To accomplish these goals, the Administration urges Congress to create more opportunities for American exporters by passing the pending free trade agreements with Columbia, Panama, and South Korea, make permanent the President's tax cuts that will expire over the next two years, and reform and reauthorize the Trade Adjustment Assistance program and the Workforce Investment Act. The Administration looks forward to continuing to work with Congress to enact these important measures. However, the Administration strongly opposes H.R. 5749. If H.R. 5749 were presented to the President, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.
Oh, wait -- I think I get it. Those free trade agreements are with some pretty small countries with pretty small economies. In economies of small scale, the blessings of free trade really could make a difference with respect to unemployment...
... in Panama.
Posted by Dana Chasin
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