TRADER W

Share the benefits of free trade (Greg Mastel and Howard Rosen, 8/12/03, CS Monitor)

A little more than a year ago, after a long legislative struggle, Congress passed the most sweeping international trade legislation in 15 years. After a nearly decade-long deadlock, Congress gave the president authority to negotiate new trade agreements. And just before this summer's recess, Congress overwhelmingly passed the first fruits of that authority: new free-trade agreements with Chile and Singapore.

Unfortunately, implementation of the assistance for workers who lose their jobs because of international trade has not been as swift. If the displaced worker-adjustment provisions are not in place soon, the newfound consensus in favor of freer trade may rapidly erode.

If only folks hadn't been so focused on the steel tariffs, they might have realized the President is a free trader not a "fair" trader and that the new authority was all that really mattered. Posted by Orrin Judd at August 12, 2003 8:09 PM