Press Action

Monday, February 02, 2004

Crashing the Global Capitalist Party

By Editor's Picks
Mark Hand

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Posted 02/02 |

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Not that I’m a huge expert on trade, but I’m wondering about two things in particular after reading this piece:

How is it that Soros and Krugman have gotten so much praise from those to the left of Bush (hell, even Nader has had some praise for both in recent columns;and Nader ain’t exactly rah-rah-free-trade himself) despite their aparently open support for predatory/"free" trade practices ? Very strange.

Also, how much does the isolationist wing of the Republican Party figure in to these theories about the possible downfall of free trade ? Seems to me that as the Iraq war becomes more and more of a disaster, one or more prominent Buchananites might be waiting in the wings for his/her chance to come ‘round again. They’re on the outs now, but fortunes and fashions can change very quickly in politics…

Posted by alsis38 (from Portland, OR) from on 02/06 at 12:10 PM

When the “left” as you refer to “them” sites a Krugman or a Soros it is not out of “praise”. It is to illustrate the fact that these so called “mainstream” and establishment voices are raising concerns about the state of the economy and the society as a whole that you tend to here from the left. Therefore it is important to highlight their comments in that context.

The issue from the right wing is that they were stuanch anti-communist nationalist and fiscal conservates that see in the present politics of “neo-conservatism” quite the opposite. They see deficits spending and unnecessary military spending (as to the conservative the cold war is over). They also see foreign policies benefitting Israel to the detriment of the U.S. Ironically there is an intersection of interest between the left and the right however on economic matters that are of concern to the left it would still be a challenge to convince the right but there is opportunity.

The opportunity is that with the end of the cold war the right is willing to draw down military spending and would be willing to spend on social programs as it would be in the national interest. This would be a reasonable tactic to open dialogue with the right.

Posted by Jack Harris from Down Under on 03/03 at 02:13 AM