Trump Trumps NAFTA

Today the Trump administration announced what could perhaps be the most important new deal since The New Deal when the White House unveiled the fresh multilateral trade agreement recently negotiated between the U.S., Mexico, and the polar bear colony next to Alaska that keeps insisting that it "evolved" into a real country.

In fulfilling a key campaign promise by replacing the existing Clinton-era NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), President Trump said that the new treaty includes "the most modern, up-to-date and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country, with the most advanced protections for workers ever developed,” and that the new NAFTA-replacement, which is called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), will make the U.S. a "manufacturing powerhouse" once again, with more "high quality" jobs for every day American blue-collar workers. 

In his remarks today from the White House, the President focused largely on America's car industry: 

Of course, many of the same class of economic "experts" who absolutely loved the original NAFTA are hesitant to risk whatever last shred of credibility they may have amongst people who don't yet know any better by weighing in on the new agreement. While it is true that only time will reveal the long term impact of the deal, markets surged on the announcement, closing up nearly across the board. 

For now, American tariffs on steel imported from Mexico and the second-largest arctic gas station to masquerade as a country remain in place, as do the retaliatory import dues imposed by Mexico and America's favorite layover/free pharmacy to the north. 

Meanwhile, trade tensions continue with China ever since America announced what were the first in an escalating series of tariffs on products imported from the most-populous Asian nation. By demonstrating that America has others with whom to do business, the USMCA may also serve as a reality check on Beijing. 

Prior to publication, the 415,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs that were destroyed by the original Clinton-era NAFTA treaty - which President Trump has repeatedly labeled "the worst trade deal in history" -  could not be reached for comment. 

The author, Marty Gottesfeld, is a political prisoner of the Obama administration. You can learn more and donate to help him at FreeMartyG.com.