Can the U.S. Afford to Lose Any More Friends?

When it looked like we would finally have a signed Free Trade Agreement with South Korea, an important U.S. ally, I was optimistic that it signaled a sea of change in our approach to trade relations. Boy, was I naïve! The word from the White House is that the U.S.-Colombian Free Trade Agreement, first signed in 2006, will not be readied for final passage. Once again, American trade unions have been able to convince President Obama that passage will result in the loss of American jobs. This is pure fiction – the same kind of sordid claims by American trucking unions that allowing Mexican truckers to transport goods into the U.S. represents a safety hazard. These misguided positions to further selfish self-interests threatens the NAFTA agreement, one of this nation’s most important... Read More

Did the U.S. Really Win the Tire Fight with China?

The headline in The Wall Street Journal was “U.S. Wins China-Tire Fight,” and proceeded to detail how the ”World Trade Organization handed the U.S. a big victory in a fight with China over tire imports, bolstering the Obama administration’s effort to show it is tough on enforcement as it girds for a battle in Congress over passage of a free trade pact with South Korea. The WTO’s Dispute-Settlement Panel ruled last Monday in favor of President Barack Obama’s decision in September 2009 to levy tariffs of up to 35% on Chinese tires.” But did the US really win? Last year on “Truth for America” in the midst of this legal battle our featured guest was Marguerite Trossevin, who represents a coalition of U.S. tire companies that import Chinese tires. On the show she said... Read More

Exports Are Good Gauge of US Growth

We’ve grown so accustomed to reading about bad news that when there’s a glimmer of hope, it’s largely ignored. Suddenly, like when a flower sprouts at the end of one of those apocalyptic movies, the U.S. trade deficit has narrowed and exports are up despite the fact that trade has been largely ignored and mishandled by our government for years. Drawn on a proud history of rebounding after economic meltdowns, trade has found a way to persevere. A recent economic report showed that the trade deficit narrowed to $38.7 billion in October from a revised $44.6 billion in September. Economists had expected the deficit to widen to $44.5 billion from the $44 billion originally reported for the previous month. A jump in exports contributed to the narrower deficit, with the value... Read More

China Exacts Its Revenge from Morphine Economics

At one time, Western nations treated China like a poor stepchild, even going to the point of illicitly providing opium to its citizens enabling a terrible addiction. After President Obama’s recent Asian debacle, China now treats the US like the poor stepchild. Now it is America that is hooked on the sinister drug of Morphine Economics and it is largely China providing the US the drug that is making us weaker each day. Here’s an historical perspective. Low demand for British goods in China and high demand for Chinese goods such as silk and tea in Britain during the 17th century forced the British traders to purchase these products with silver and gold, the only currency accepted by the Chinese. The British quickly began accumulating a large trade deficit that it could not sustain. They... Read More

HIS MISSION: FAIR TRADE

BY MIMI WHITEFIELD Neal Asbury, a South Florida entrepreneur and international trader, is a man with a mission. An unabashed U.S. booster, he wants to carry the mantra of fair and open business and trade practices around the world. In an international career that has spanned three decades and in which he has logged more than four million miles of travel, Asbury has seen plenty to lead him to the conclusion that the United States can do better — much better — in global commerce. The world, he said, is clamoring for U.S. products but the United States needs to take a leadership role in promoting a more equitable world trading system, especially in light of the rising power of Asian nations that are laser-focused on economic success linked to international commerce. “It’s not that American... Read More

Looking at Strike Three

If President Obama was trying to revive his approval ratings with his foreign tour and dance demonstrations, he’s heading in the wrong direction. First, he struck out in South Korea on getting a badly needed Free Trade Agreement ratified. Now he’s struck out again in the G-20 Summit where he was unable to convince world leaders to approve US currency policy changes and to put pressure on China to stop manipulating their currency. While there are no guarantees in international negotiations, the President’s inability to build consensus with foreign leaders can be traced to his administration’s disengagement on trade policies. Worse, world leaders have rejected America’s fiscal policies. Like most of us, the world leaders are skeptical that the Federal Reserve System’s creation... Read More

What Took You So Long To Wake Up To Trade?

In addition to all the promising changes we hope to see in our government after the Republican election landslide, the Democratic meltdown seems to have awakened President Obama’s interest in trade. Yes, we were initially optimistic that trade would take the forefront of his policies when in his State of the Union address he promised to double exports in five years. But then nothing happened. Now he is embarking on a trip to Asia to expand trade agreements, highlighted by a trip to India. Initial reports indicate that Obama loosened U.S. trade restrictions with India that will result in a $10 billion new export deal. And guess what? This single deal is projected to create 50,000 American jobs. Why did it take him so long to wake up to the reality that when U.S. exports increase so do... Read More

“Conscientious Equity” Now Available!

Dear Readers, “Conscientious Equity: An American Entrepreneur’s Solution to the World’s Greatest Problems” is about the power for positive change in a world driven by commerce and free enterprise. We must look past worn-out political ideologies to find solutions to the destabilizing issues that plague our planet-crippling corruption, poverty, and environmental plunder. But in a larger sense, “Conscientious Equity” is about awareness, understanding, and action. Too often we are consumed by the happenings within our micro-environment and become blind to our roles and responsibilities in a global setting. Through “Conscientious Equity”, I address the consequences of the United State’s unbalanced approach to trade and how that adversely impacts... Read More

Can You Hear Us Now?

I have repeatedly taken President Obama to task for not listening to the will of the American people. Now after the drubbing Democrats took in the House (the largest reversal in party change since the 1930s), he better be listening now! He better be listening that the American people don’t want a socialist agenda, don’t want Cap and Trade, don’t want Card Check, and don’t want Obama Care. It’s time for him to start spending more time doing what is best for the American people –and that means job creation. The message from the American people is loud and clear: We don’t like the direction this country is heading and it needs to be adjusted. If you want to get to know someone who gets it and who has a bright political future, I hope you all were able to hear Florida Senate... Read More

A Mid-Term Ballot Initiative That Deserves Our Attention

I have often taken big labor unions to task for trying to pass the insidious “card check” bill that would deprive workers of their constitutional right for secret ballots when it comes to voting for unionization. Despite the fact that less than 7.5% of private workers now wear the union label, they’ve been able to get the Obama Administration behind this terrible piece of doomed legislation. That is why it is important to keep your eyes on Arizona, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah, which will vote on November 2nd on ballot initiatives to block union “card check” elections in their states. The four “save our secret ballot” initiatives on the November ballot, as they are called, would provide constitutional protection for secret ballot elections before a... Read More