Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, is
right that the U.S. trade deficit has had a negative effect on
American jobs, according to Slate.
That’s because the Federal Reserve’s policy of keeping interest
rates at record lows and lacking business investment since the 2008
financial crisis aren’t helping to create jobs lost to other
countries.
“When T-shirt imports from China put a bunch of American textile
factories out of commission, to take just one example, other
businesses should emerge to take their place,”
. “But these are
different times. Interest rates have been stuck near zero ever since
the Great Recession as the economy has struggled to fully recover.”
While Trump argues that trade tariffs will level the playing field
with countries like China and Mexico, Weissman says fixing the U.S.
economy should be the main focus for the next president.
“Congress could pass a giant public works bill, for instance, to
help the U.S. catch up to its potential output,” he says. “Surely, a
stimulus bill would be a simpler task for Washington than
rejiggering the entire balance of world trade.”
Trump's call to renegotiate what he sees as unfavorable trade
deals has struck a chord with many blue collar voters who
traditionally vote for Democrats, and that could be hampering
Hillary Clinton's own White House efforts,
The Washington Post reports.
"Some of our members if not support [him] agree with some of
Trump's statements," Joe Jacoby, union representative with
Boilermakers Local 13 in Pennsauken, N.J., told the Post.
"Because they feel like they're being hit hardest. Because their
jobs are going away. Because it’s hard to find a good-paying
job."
That doesn't mean they'll cast their vote for the presumptive
GOP nominee, Jacoby said, noting that he and other union leaders
will be sticking with Clinton.
Still, he said, Trump's message will have an impact because
"Trade agreements are a big part of what we're arguing against,
and he rings that bell."
© 2016 Newsmax Finance. All rights reserved.