ManufactureThis will be taking a few days off for the Fourth of July weekend.  But we want to wish everyone a Happy July 4th, and a great summer.

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ManufactureThis attended an interesting event today at the Center for American Progress (CAP).  David Madland, CAP’s Director of the American Worker Project, authored a report entitled “Journalists Give Workers the Business.”    The Center hosted a panel discussion of Madland’s report that included Madland, Philip Dine (St. Louis Post Dispatch), William Greider (The Nation), and Steve Trossman (Service Employees International Union).

The panel discussion focused on how the mainstream media covers the economy.  Madland believes that media coverage of economic issues is biased, with the perspective of workers underreported while business and management see their message represented reported more thoroughly.

All four panelists agreed that a chief reason for media bias in favor of business stems from journalists’ “preference for elite sources, such as government or business representatives, over ordinary citizens.” 

ManufactureThis has noted something similar.  During the recent presidential primary campaign, Sens. Obama and Clinton both criticized NAFTA and unbalanced U.S. trade with China.  Rather than delve into the possibility that NAFTA is flawed in actual practice, or that China is violating world trade law in order to undercut U.S producers, both candidates were accused of “pandering” to disaffected voters.

The irony is that NAFTA has cost the U.S. more than 1 million jobs since its passage in 1994.  And unbalanced trade with China has claimed an even greater toll— more than 1.8 million jobs since 2001.  As William Greider pointed out, “Americans form their views by what happens to them every day.”  And so, when Obama and Clinton suggest that current U.S. trade policy needs revision, they’re not pandering so much as thinking outside the very narrow box of Washington politics.

Madland’s excellent report is posted here.

ManufactureThis notes the untimely passing of ‘Meet the Press’ moderator Tim Russert and sends profound condolences to his family.  Mr. Russert holds our fullest respect.  His blue-collar Buffalo, New York perspective on issues will be sorely missed.

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Robert Lighthizer, a deputy trade representative in the Reagan administration, has written an excellent critique of Senator John McCain’s “unbridled” support for free trade.