judd's blog

The Obama administration appears hellbent on ramming a future Pacific Rim free trade agreement with provisions that threaten U.S. sovereignty into law with little, if any, input from the U.S. Congress, the people's representatives. 

A potential Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Agreement could mean much higher natural gas prices for American consumers. Increased exports to Europe would likely tighten supply, sending bills up, including those of  U.S. manufacturers currently benefiting from glut of cheap gas.

Don't believe what you've read about a prospective free-trade deal between the United States and European Union. Compared to the garden variety agreement, it's a possible improvement. But it's hardly the rose garden our leaders and the media seem to be promising. In fact, it's full of thorns in ways that would surprise you, argues one skeptic.

A former deputy assistant secretary of commerce puts the myths populating people's minds about manufacturing to rest in the wake of the President Obama's annual address to the nation that called for making greater investment in the U.S.'s industrial base top priority.

President Barack Obama's annual State of the Union had some good ideas and not-so-good ideas. The  contradictions in policy being pushed by the White House are likely to create a zero-sum game signifying nothing in the end, according to American Jobs Alliance board member Clyde Prestowitz. 

The president's campaign to energize U.S. manufacturing hit the road today in North Carolina, with the commander-in-chief championing a strong industrial base as vital for future growth. Too bad a future  Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, which his administration is pushing, is likely undo all the benefits of a more globally competitive nation.

American Jobs Alliance board member Clyde Prestowitz has a little advice for the future secretary of commerce -- go for the gold. Instead of taking a back seat to higher profile departments as others have in the past, use the position to lead efforts to champion American competitiveness. After all, it's not more guns, soldiers or diplomats we need. It's competitive products and services we can offer to our global neighbors.

It's a pre-Valentine's Day miracle -- sort of. The nation's overall trade deficit in 2012 declined for the first time since the Great Recession hit, becoming a slightly paler shade of red. But don't get too excited -- the gap with China actually widened to a record $315 billion.

Pressuring China to play fair and stop its currency manipulation tricks coupled with developing national manufacturing plan will bring the nation's global trade balance into surplus territory, generating U.S. jobs and bringing U.S. factories back to their former glory, concludes a recent Economic Policy Institute research brief. 

Congress has its head in the sand (or elsewhere), but the American people know exactly why there are no jobs: 7 out of 10 Americans blame foreign competition and cheap overseas labor for the economic crisis that's destroying the middle class.  Nonetheless, Washington is pushing another job-killing "trade" deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It's up to us to tell Congress no.