Trump lives in a
‘SHAFTA’ fantasy land
where U.S. is a trade victim
Given the U.S. mindset in overhauling the North American free-trade agreement, Canada could alert air-traffic control, turn on the runway lights and mobilize the ground crew. But Donald Trump, unfortunately, is up in Air Force One looking for a completely different airport, in some fantasy land where the United States is a victim of trade.
For years now, a poisonous narrative has become rooted in the U.S. psyche – namely, that the world is ripping off Americans on trade. It is the narrative that helped get Mr. Trump elected, and it is the mantra now guiding U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer at the NAFTA negotiating table.
Trade has become a winner-take-all sport in which the balance of trade is like the scoreboard at a football game. Post a trade deficit with the rest of the world – as the United States has consistently done since the early 1990s – and you are automatically the loser. No trip to the Trade Bowl for you.
A lot of people are complicit in letting this wacky view of the world become dogma. For years, U.S. politicians, corporate leaders, labour bosses and the media have all failed to effectively challenge the underlying premise.
...
The Trump administration looks at NAFTA and sees SHAFTA, as White House trade adviser Peter Navarro mockingly calls the deal. Asked if he'll walk away from the agreement, Mr. Trump told the Fox Business Network last Sunday: "We can't allow the world to look at us as a whipping post. Not going to happen any more."
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross put it more bluntly: He said the United States is demanding that Canada and Mexico "give up some privileges that they have enjoyed for 22 years" and get nothing in return.
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It's hard to imagine a more accommodating neighbour than Canada. We are far and away the largest market for U.S. goods and services, buying $321.4-billion worth last year alone. That is nearly twice as much as China, three times more than Japan and more than Britain, France, Germany and Italy combined. Meanwhile, Canada has been losing export market share to other countries in the U.S. market for nearly decade.
If anyone is getting shafted, it's us.
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SM , how you doin ? .. stop nagging Justin (Trudeau)
Look guys , American military was not for bringing democracy and freedom to Chile or Nicaragua or Iran or Vietnam , or Afghanistan.
American military was for make sure those countries "sign on dotted line" with American capital.
Now, American military can't enforce anything anymore .. that is why America economically on downhill slope.
Instead of getting the message and embarking on an Herculean "goodwill" crusade towards all the NEW WORLD, Bolton & Co. doubling down on past failed dreams.
Prost.
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