Much has been made of the TPP and NAFTA chapters on state-owned enterprises (SOEs).  They are supposed to be forward-looking provisions that will put a dent in state capitalism.  But the premise is wrong, and so the response is wrong. The premise of the argument is that state capitalism is executed through SOEs.  In some…

According to Politico, a “coalition of free-market advocacy, business and nonprofit groups is urging the leaders of the Senate Finance Committee to press forward on new legislation curbing the president’s tariff authority.” Ah, the siren song of the free market.  But does anyone really think the global trading system is characterized by “free” markets?  A…

One of the goals of this blog has been to facilitate an understanding of the backlash against the global trading system.  That system is characterized by a broad set of rules that are complex — opaque, even — with which few are familiar, even many of those staunchly defending the status quo.  An improved understanding…

According to a recent poll, a novice politician, J.D. Scholten, is giving long-standing incumbent Steve King a run for his money in Iowa, trailing King by one percentage point.  How is he doing it?  One of the issues Scholten is raising is the effect of corporate concentration on farmers.  Senator Cory Booker joined Scholten at an…