In an April 27 editorial, the New York Times asked, “Is trade the problem?”  And, while admitting that “trade can disrupt lives,” the piece essentially dismissed Americans’ worries about lost jobs and declining manufacturing, citing “advances in technology” as the key culprit for shifts in the economy.

AAM director Scott Paul published a rebuttal in yesterday’s Times and noted among other things that the great economic challenge of our time–China– was never mentioned in the piece:

May 4, 2008
Letter
China’s Unfair Trade

To the Editor:

A very important word was missing from “Is Trade the Problem?” (editorial, April 27): China. No thoughtful discussion about the impact of trade on workers, consumers and America’s economic future can take place without recognition of the role that China plays in today’s global marketplace.

While many factors affect employment and wages in the United States, it’s wrong to minimize or dismiss the role of trade, especially with China. Our lopsided trade deficit with Beijing — $256 billion last year alone — highlights its market-distorting practices, including subsidies, dumping, currency manipulation, counterfeiting, and lax labor and environmental standards.

These unfair trade practices have cost 1.8 million American jobs since 2001, according to an Economic Policy Institute study. American consumers pay in other ways: unsafe and uninspected food, toys and medication, and higher local taxes when factories close. Until we insist that China honor its commitments, American workers will continue to lose.

Scott Paul
Executive Director
Alliance for American Manufacturing
Washington, April 27, 2008

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