Free Trade

Irwin M. Stelzer at The Weekly Standard gives high marks to Bob Zoellick for promoting free trade directly through bilateral Free Trade Agreements in Trading Up.

America aims to lower worldwide barriers to trade and has offered "to eliminate tariffs on goods and to slash agricultural barriers and subsidies . . . if others join us."
Unfortunately, "others"--which may be diplospeak for the European Union--aren't jumping on the free trade bandwagon. Despite some minor rejiggering of the E.U. subsidy program, French farmers remain among the world's most cosseted, paid to produce goods that compete unfairly not only with American agricultural products, but with the produce of desperately poor African farmers.

I'm an administration fan but am not so sanguine as Mr. Stelzer (whom I respect enormously). We have to lead on free trade, we have to fight our farm-belt senators and unions, then lead by example. Let's not wait for France: "Again, Bullwinkle? That trick never works!"

[Cross posted on ZogbyBlog]

Posted by jk at July 15, 2003 08:38 AM