If Republicans flee the free trade bandwagon

... who will be left?  That is the question that the lead article in today's WSJ makes me think of. The story reports that likely republican voters now think overwhelmingly that trade is a bad deal:

There seems to be two concerns. One is that the U.S. is taken to the cleaners by other nations which are better at playing trade hardball. The other is the unease over the widening income gap and the role that trade is felt to be playing in it. As Frank Levy--who pointed me to the article--puts it, "It looks like another brick in the wall against letting the market roll regardless of the resulting distribution of benefits."

Comments

[robertdfeinman]

I think what the chart illustrates is that when you ask a meaningless question you get a meaningless answer.

Obviously trade is good for some parts of the economy and bad for others. It is not even clear whether the good outweighs the bad or vice versa.

All too often poll questions are designed to prove a preconceived notion. In addition, asking people's opinions about things of which they no little doesn't tell us much either. Even the wording can affect the results. The classic example is:

Do you support welfare? The majority (depending upon time and place) says no.

Do you support helping those in need? The majority says yes.

At best what this poll indicates is that GOP candidates are going to have to start using new catch phrases.

[Joe]

"One is that the U.S. is taken to the cleaners by other nations which are better at playing trade hardball." Many people in the US might think so. But isn't the opposite true?

[Bill Williams]

You(deliberately?)misquote WSJ. Their poll question was "Is FREE trade good for U.S.?" You quoted it as "Is FOREIGN trade good for U.S.?"

[rolex watches]

People usually say :"Seeing is believing." http://www.tt88times.com
Each attempt has a corresponding gain, in part or obvious, or vague. At least we have the kind of satisfaction After I bought this watch ,in a sense,it means a great deal to me. http://www.fashionhairfu.com

[lv store]

wonder how foreign competition in sectors where US domestic production is very little would create a ripple effect throughout the economy. What about the differences in skill intensities across industries? The job losses in the relatively unskilled-labor intensive battery industry should have little effect on the relatively skilled-labor intensive machinery industry. Let's get real. Have the academic salaries (especially in
http://www.toplvstore.com/louis-vuitton-zippy-coin-purse-m91535-p-644.html
http://www.louisvuitton4love.com/
http://www.toplvstore.com/louis-vuitton-damier-azur-canvas-speedy-30-n41533-p-404.html

[jordan shoes]

Thanks for sharing your article. I really enjoyed it. I put a link to my site to here so other people can read it. Came across your blog when I was searching bing I have found the bit of info that
I found to be quite useful.

[who is calling me]

I was searching for books that we could donate to our local school

[Account Deleted]

raf

Thanks for article.

[Account Deleted]

celikraf
celikraf

Thanks ... I like it ;)

[Account Deleted]

Excellent! Thank you for sharing these valuable experience with us. What you have displayed really helped us a lot!http://www.christianlouboutinsonsales.com/

[Account Deleted]

Many places and centers offer business and trade promotions to both buyers and supplier.What about the differences in skill intensities across industries? The job losses in the relatively unskilled-labor intensive battery industry should have little effect on the relatively skilled-labor intensive machinery
sexshop
sexyshop
sexshop online

[Account Deleted]

Nice discussion is going on there I like it so much keep on asking and learning new things…

organic seo service