Working Life

   Change has to begin with the transformation of the economy: a rejection of the marketing phrase of the "free market". The president has made some very strong proposals in this area. A large group of Members of Congress is now pushing him to declare a new era in trade.   I just received the […]

Read the full story

   I keep my promises. I’ve just been given the language on trade that will likely be in the Democratic Party’s platform. Here it is, followed by some commentary (the numbers to the left of the language are from the draft pages…too lazy to take them out):   Smart, Strong, and Fair Trade Policies 20 […]

Read the full story

   Now that the platform committee has met a  number of times, we should learn what the Democratic Party’s platform will say about trade. I’m told the language may be finalized today. In the meantime, consider a couple of nuggets of information:    The Citizens Trade Campaign came up with proposed language, which you can […]

Read the full story

   I suppose if you like going to Geneva–which strikes me as a pretty boring city–there is no harm going there to take in the sites and kick back. But, if you are a trade minister or official using public money to attend the Doha round trade meetings as an actual cover to go to […]

Read the full story

Do you have a good story to illustrate the problems of the current, insane trade policy? When I mean “good”, I obviously don’t mean “positive” but, rather, one that shows how pathetic the so-called “free trade” policy is? Well, post it here and I’ll get those stories to the right person who is working directly […]

Read the full story

Yesterday, I highlighted the rolling out of a very important piece of legislation: the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development, and Employment Act of 2008 (cleverly, the TRADE Act). So far, the only Senate co-sponsors, who have joined the bill’s sponsor Sherrod Brown, are Byron Dorgan, Russ Feingold, Bob Casey and Sheldon Whitehouse. So, today, it’s worth […]

Read the full story

    This morning is a time to shake off the cobwebs of conventionitis. Conventionitis is a serious form of mental illness brought on by being cooped up in a climate-controlled atmosphere, where the air you breathe is not real, and the steady hum of many voices conversing at a low pitch combines to penetrate the […]

Read the full story

    I am on a conference call with Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) Leo Gerard, president of the United Steel Workers and Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizens Global Trade Watch to talk about the role trade is playing in the presidential race.  The one piece of news, to the extent it […]

Read the full story

    I am on a conference call with Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) Leo Gerard, president of the United Steel Workers and Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizens Global Trade Watch to talk about the role trade is playing in the presidential race.  The one piece of news, to the extent it […]

Read the full story

    I’m frankly unmoved by the arguments circulating that so-called super-delegates have to vote one way or another. The system for political primaries is broken and the super-delegate issue–discovered mainly by people who never objected to their status before–is just one problem. But, since the super-delegates may have a crucial role at the Democratic convention, […]

Read the full story