Voters looking to blunt Chinese import competition turn to Democrats, a team of economists found, because they want politicians who vote to restrict trade. In counties most exposed to Chinese imports, the economists found, voter turnout increased, as did the votes for Democratic House members or candidates. CONT. Bob Davis, […] Read more »
Political criticism erodes free trade support
Months of withering political rhetoric in the presidential campaign has eroded American support for free trade but not for immigration. The CNBC All-America Economic Survey, conducted March 21-23, finds that just 27 percent of the public agree that free trade “has helped the U.S.,” compared with 43 percent who say […] Read more »
American Public Opinion on Foreign Trade
Foreign trade has become a significant issue in the presidential campaign. Donald Trump has proposed to renegotiate many aspects of trade with China as a centerpiece of his campaign, and Bernie Sanders continues to focus on rewriting “disastrous” trade pacts that he says cost American jobs. This focus on the […] Read more »
Simmering for Decades, Anger About Trade Boils Over in ’16 Election
… Anger about unbalanced trade has helped to fuel the rise of Donald J. Trump, the Republican front-runner, and the success of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont in his bid for the Democratic nomination. The manifest anger also has pushed their principal rivals, Republican Senator Ted Cruz and the Democratic […] Read more »
How the G.O.P. Elite Lost Its Voters to Donald Trump
… As the Republican Party collapses on itself, conservative leaders struggling to explain Mr. Trump’s appeal have largely seized on his unique qualities as a candidate: his larger-than-life persona, his ability to dominate the airwaves, his tough-sounding if unrealistic policy proposals. Others ascribe Mr. Trump’s rise to the xenophobia and […] Read more »
No, Trump won’t win votes from disaffected Democrats in the fall
… Democrats worry that Trump’s focus on economic protectionism and opposition to trade deals could turn Democrat-leaning rust belt states into swing states, giving the Republican nominee an unexpected path to the White House in 2016. We can learn a little from students of Western European politics here. CONT. Charlotte […] Read more »