There is a furor being caused by the fringe candidates in the 2008 presidential primaries on the issue of trade and the presence of America around the world. Several candidates, including Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul, would like nothing more than to see the United States withdraw from the World Trade Organization, NAFTA, and CAFTA. Both of their campaigns are facing problems of their own, but one can not deny that there is a substantial portion of the American population that identifies with their message. While I can sympathize with their complaints about Americanism abroad and free trade I believe that globalization and liberalization of trade has enhanced the US’s cultural and economic influence around the world, something that needs to be preserved if the US is to bring the world together and build a lasting and strong international system of governance.
↧
