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Trade pacts are good for working people, provide they are fair

Many economists tell us one issue in the presidential campaign really should not be an issue. It is trade agreements with foreign countries.

The more trade, the better, economists tell us. Agreements that foster sales of goods among countries are good for the U.S. workers, they say.

In a perfect world, on a level playing field, that is absolutely true. And even in an imperfect, tilted-field world, it is good for some U.S. industries.

But not all, and not always. Professional economists deal with spreadsheets and GNP figures. They do not have to worry about the closed steel and aluminum mills, the wiped-out glass industries or the countless other plants moved abroad.

Diplomats love trade pacts, of course. They, too, do not have to worry about lost jobs here. In fact, the more favorable the deals are for other countries, the easier it is for our diplomats to work with theirs.

Many in this region find ourselves patronized by the intellectual set. We just don’t understand that opposing new trade pacts is not in our best interests, they explain.

We understand perfectly.

What we understand is that too often, foreign countries are permitted to use tactics such as currency manipulation and dumping goods here at below the cost of production to wreck U.S. industries — including steel — while our government does nothing to defend us.

Fair trade pacts are good for working people. That, however, is the key: fairness.

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