Export promotion strategy pursued by Obama. Add this to yet another stupid, unfair, corporatist economic policy.
Mr. Obama will sign an executive order establishing an Export Promotion Cabinet comprising the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Commerce and other top officials. The group, which will meet for the first time next month, is charged with executing Mr. Obama’s National Export Strategy.
The executive order also will relaunch the President’s Export Council, a private-sector advisory panel to be led Jim McNerney, chief executive of Boeing Co., and Ursula Burns, CEO of Xerox Corp.
“I know the issue of exports and imports; the issue of trade and globalization; have long evoked the passions of a lot of people in this country,” Mr. Obama said. “I know there are differences of opinion between Democrats and Republicans; business and labor; about the right approach. But I also know we’re at a moment where necessity has tempered the old debates.”
When “necessity” is invoked, freedom is lost. There are no differences of opinion here. Export promotion is stupid. And convening yet another czar-ish commission to establish yet another National Strategy is central planning. The best thing about export promotion is that it will make our neighbors happy. How nice of the President to direct some more of my hard earned income and give it to someone else. At least when he was bailing out banks, he was kind enough to keep his charity in my community.
“The administration’s reform program will enhance national security by focusing on the enforcement of strict controls around the export of the most critical technologies and products, while strengthening the competitiveness of key manufacturing industries in the U.S. by streamlining the regulations that apply to their exports,” the White House said.
Consider this – if streamlining regulations on products meant for sale internationally is a good idea, then how come Mr. Obama does not favor doing so for goods intended for sale here?
I almost got up to yank out one of my volumes of Bastiat, but then I figured you had already read that. It’s time for your Negative Railroad lesson to your spring semester students.
I meant the post to apply to your previous commentary.