“Fair Trade” Foolishness

US politicians may oppose new trade agreements with nations like Peru and Colombia, but other nations will fill the void. The US could punish its own exporters by rejecting such trade agreements. The basis for such rejection is not so much traditional protectionism, suggests columnist Robert Samuelson, but rather an obstructionism and alarm at the notion of any trade at all. US citizens worry about losing jobs to offshoring and nations with fewer regulations on labor or the environment. “Globalization becomes a convenient explanation for many economic discontents, from job insecurity to squeezed living standards,” Samuelson suggests. Even as the US stands on the sidelines, other nations will busily pursue trade agreements – setting standards, creating jobs and wealth. – YaleGlobal