From: mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539)
Newsgroups: tx.politics
Subject: Re: Bush starts unpatriotic trade war.
Date: 10 Nov 92 14:27:24 GMT
Distribution: tx
Organization: Texas Instruments Inc

In <1992Nov6.044758.14730@awdprime.austin.ibm.com> curt@ekhadafi.austin.ibm.com (Curt Finch 903 2F021 curt@aixwiz.austin.ibm.com 512-838-2806) writes:

>Saw on TV last nite that Bush and Carla Hills have imposed a 200%
>tariff on French White wine.  Trust me it's just the beginning.

To retaliate for continual French violations of GATT -- in other
words, to punish them for NOT being 'free traders'.  Note that this
approach is also a violation of GATT, and that it actually seems to be
working (the rest of Europe isn't going to put themselves into the
toilet for the French).

>If you thought Bush's tax increases and overregulation were bad, just
>wait until you get a taste of the depression a trade war will bring
>on.

So far it looks like that isn't going to happen.

>Clinton's response?  A stupified "Duuhhhhh?  I don't know.  I don't
>want to interfere...."  Just great....  Great.... what a leader.

Cute, but the sentiment you say he expressed is correct.  Bill Clinton
is NOT the President.  He isn't even legally the President Elect until
the Electoral College meets next month.  He's NOT the leader at this
point; George Bush still is.

>This trade war is just beginning.  It will tank the economy.  Clinton
>will be blamed and he'll lose next time.

Last reports I heard (yesterday) indicate that the French wanted the
EEC to prosecute a trade war for them and requested the drawing up of
a list of American products to put tariffs on.  The other European
countries refused to draw up such a list.

>The fact that Bush did this at this time shows an understanding of
>economics I never attributed to him.  He wants this to be the last term
>the Democrats have in the White House for quite a while.  Nothing will
>do it like a trade war.

Quite right.  The one thing that is perhaps worse than a trade war is
playing by the rules when the guy you are trading with isn't.  In
other words, the current situation.

>FDR's trade war and FDR's tax and spend economics prolonged the
>depression until WWII pulled us out.  If you think FDR was a big help
>in the depression then you've been listening to Dan Rather too much.
>Read "The Economist."

Actually, the biggest thing to prolong the Great Depression was (IMHO)
the 31% CONTRACTION of the money supply.  Talk about your Clueless
Bozoids (tm), FDR sure qualified.

>If you're one of the 43% that voted for Clinton, then you better warn
>that clueless bozo now.

Sounds like he's doing the right thing to me.  You would rather he
usurped the office and perogatives of the Presidency?

>Bush is playing with fire here.  And Clinton is no fireman.  Warn him.
>Write him a letter or send him a fax.  It's not too early for him to
>come out for free trade.

If what we had was free trade, we wouldn't have this problem.  Tell
THE FRENCH to come out for free trade.

-- 
"Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don't have the balls to live
 in the real world."   -- Mary Shafer, NASA Ames Dryden
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Fred.McCall@dseg.ti.com - I don't speak for others and they don't speak for me.