Ron Kirk Not Heeding Concerns of American Public

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk has had a busy week, jet-setting around the world and offering world leaders mea culpa for American policies designed to protect domestic industries and save millions of jobs.   

Last Wednesday, Kirk was in the Swiss capital of Geneva assuring member-states of the World Trade Organization that the U.S. is fully committed to finalizing the Doha Round of global trade negotiations.   

"President Obama and I are both committed to a successful conclusion to the Doha Development Round," Kirk said. "We see it not only as a critical component of what the president believes should be an overall, worldwide response to the current economic crisis, but it's also critical to the sustenance of many of our least-developed countries." 

Yet, the WTO has not been beneficial to the U.S., the worldwide economic structure and certainly not to the least-developed countries of the world.   

The World Trade Organization is an undemocratic organization run by the rich, for the rich. 

Since the advent of the WTO, the percentage of people worldwide living on less than $1 per day has actually increased.  Moreover, 500 million peasant farmers have been displaced during the WTO regime by “agricultural modernization.”  That “agricultural modernization” has not only displaced poor farmers, but it has also brought us mad cow disease, the avian bird flu and melamine contaminated milk products.  

Since entering the WTO in 2001, trade with China has resulted in the loss of 2.3 million American jobs through 2007, according to the Economic Policy Institute.  In 2006 alone, the trade gap with China resulted in the loss of 366,000 American jobs.  Those fortunate enough to retain their jobs witnessed their annual earnings decrease by roughly $1,400.  American workers are put in direct competition with one another as more and more employers look to offshore production to nations with lower wage rates.

Despite those facts, Kirk seems determined to soldier on in his attempt to finalize the failed trade talks.   

"We haven't set a definitive timeline," Kirk said.  "We know everyone wants relief now, but we believe the substance of our talks will drive the process, which ultimately defines the timeline."  

On Monday, Kirk was back in America, soothing the fears of worried Canadian business interests.  He basically apologized for America implementing policies that protect its domestic industries and workers and blamed those policies on the American people.   

"Trade is a really tough sell in this environment," Kirk told members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce after a speech in Washington.

Indeed, a recent New York Times/CBS News poll, conducted at the beginning of April, found that 60 percent of Americans believe that trade restrictions are necessary to protect domestic industries. On the other hand, just 28 percent of those polled said that “free trade" should be pursued at all costs.  

The poll demonstrates that perhaps Kirk has it all wrong: The American people are finding that protecting domestic jobs is a tough sell to the ignorant politicians in Washington. 

Source Asia Times Online:

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