We Need to Talk About ‘Free Trade’

We Need to Talk About ‘Free Trade’

America, can we talk? We need to talk about “free trade.” We’ve needed to have this conversation for a while, actually. Like, since the 1980s. For the past several decades, the U.S. political establishment has advocated free trade as part of a...
Obama’s Unholy Trade Policy

Obama’s Unholy Trade Policy

Pope Francis waxed radical on several big issues in his speech to Congress last September. He condemned the arms trade, called for climate action, and challenged lawmakers to protect the most vulnerable among us. It was wonderful. But for some reason, there was one...
Obama’s Kabuki Theater

Obama’s Kabuki Theater

The sales push behind Washington’s latest “free-trade” agreement amounts to Kabuki theater. What’s Kabuki? It’s a 17th-century form of Japanese drama, featuring elaborate sets and costuming, rhythmic dialogue, and stylized acting and...
Gouging the Sick

Gouging the Sick

Words can be discombobulating, especially when people twist them to fit concepts that mean the exact opposite of what you think is being said. Consider the current debate in Washington over the Trans-Pacific Partnership — a controversial trade and investment pact...