Bryan Riley is director of the National Taxpayers Union's Free Trade Initiative. He previously was an advocate for free trade through his research and writing for The Heritage Foundation, where he was the Jay Van Andel senior analyst in trade policy.
View all authorsThe U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) today reported that U.S. trade volume for the first six months of the year was 15.7 percent higher… Read More
The efforts of House Ways and Means Committee chairman Dave Camp (R–MI) to implement long-overdue trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea may soon… Read More
In 1987, President Ronald Reagan explained the relationship between federal spending and the U.S. trade deficit: “Here in the United States, we must restrain government… Read More
Today marks the 81st anniversary of the passage of the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act. Actor and economist Ben Stein famously explained this legislation in Ferris Bueller’s… Read More
The AFL-CIO recently ran expensive, full-page ads in several inside-the-beltway publications highlighting the threat of violence facing union leaders in Colombia. Their ads left out… Read More
The Obama Administration recently made its strongest statement yet in support of free trade agreements. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commented on the challenges of… Read More
The U.S. Commerce Department today announced that the trade deficit for April was $43.7 billion. This number is misleading because it implies a “deficit” in… Read More
People who believe the United States no longer manufactures anything need to check out the newest Consumer Reports “Best Cars” list. The magazine recently selected… Read More
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis just announced that the trade deficit for March increased to $48.2 billion. The federal budget deficit plays a major… Read More
Consider three countries: 1) In Country 1, imports of goods and services are 29 percent the size of the country’s overall economy. 2) In Country… Read More
Several U.S. political leaders have recently reiterated their desire to punish countries that undervalue their currencies. News flash: Since June 7, 2010, the value of… Read More
With Mother’s Day around the corner, you better look out. It’s going to cost more than usual to send your mom a bouquet of flowers… Read More
This is how Donald Trump recently described China: “They’re making all our products. They’re taking all our jobs. And then they loan the money back… Read More
Some critics of the proposed South Korea–U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) have expressed concerns about imports from North Korea, specifically goods originating from the Kaesong… Read More
The argument against U.S. companies investing abroad typically goes as follows: “Companies are just trying to substitute cheap foreign labor for expensive U.S. labor. The… Read More
Some of the stiffest competition facing U.S. exporters does not come from Europe—or even China—but the U. S. Treasury Department. Yesterday, the U.S. Bureau of… Read More
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis today announced that U.S. exports for January were $4.4 billion higher than in December. This is good news for… Read More
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) just released its 2011 Trade Policy Agenda, which highlights several initiatives designed to boost exports. Nowhere in… Read More
The U.S. Commerce Department today reported that the country’s 2010 trade deficit was $497.8 billion, an increase of $122.9 billion from 2009. Exports increased from… Read More
Americans saved more than $16 million on roses last year thanks to U.S. trade policy toward Colombia. Under the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA), many… Read More
On February 11, the U.S. Department of Commerce will release our country’s 2010 trade statistics. The following three principles will help in understanding what the… Read More
The French Institute of Public Opinion recently asked people in several countries whether the market system and capitalism work quite well and should be retained… Read More
Reports that Americans are becoming increasingly hostile to trade are greatly exaggerated. The French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) recently polled people in several countries… Read More
Last night’s BCS Championship game pitted the Auburn Tigers from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) against the Oregon Ducks from the Pac-10. To guard against biases… Read More
When the proposed South Korea–U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) was initially signed on June 30, 2007, Heritage Foundation analysts recognized significant benefits that would come… Read More
The economic case for the South Korea–U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) has been variously described as a “slam dunk,” a “pareto-optimal solution,” and “an easy… Read More
Following the shocking inability of U.S. and South Korean trade negotiators to reach agreement on changes to a proposed Korea–U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), the… Read More
In 1773, American colonists dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. Their unwillingness to pay duties on imported tea made them our country’s… Read More
The media seem intent on convincing Americans that they no longer support free trade. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal, for example, begins… Read More
Reports from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) are being misrepresented by leftist organizations like the AFL-CIO and the Alliance for American Manufacturing. The purpose of… Read More
