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BofA: 'Buy America... The American Dream Is Back' Matthew BoeslerMarch 17, 2013, 9:10 AMLast week, JPMorgan said we're not that far from a "picture perfect world." Morgan Stanley said the U.S. economy was approaching an "inflection point" in mid-2013 from which growth would really start taking off. Now, BofA Merrill Lynch is out with a new report, titled "Buy America: The American dream is back." BAML strategists Ralph Preusser and Athanasios Vamvakidis write (emphasis added): Markets have fallen in love with the US. This is a significant change from spending the last five years wondering which economy was the worst,...

The last major athletic shoe brand manufacturing in the United States is watching closely as the Obama administration negotiates a free-trade agreement with Vietnam and seven other countries, and it is unclear whether the company can stand up to a flood of shoes from overseas. NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine — At the factory here owned by New Balance, the last major athletic shoe brand to manufacture footwear in the United States, even workers on the shop floor recognize that in purely economic terms, the operation doesn’t make sense. The company could make far more money if, like Nike and Adidas, it shifted...

Ethanol group pushing for country-of-origin labels September 24, 2009 By The Associated Press HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Ethanol producers are pushing a proposal to mandate country-of-origin labeling on gasoline pumps so consumers know exactly where their fuel comes from. But the nation's refiners say the plan is unworkable. Growth Energy, an industry group representing about 50 ethanol companies across the nation, launched an effort to increase ethanol consumption in the country.

Willis Hawley and Reed Smoot thought they had a great idea. Hawley chaired the House Ways and Means Committee. Smoot oversaw the Senate Finance Committee. Faced with a national economic meltdown, they brainstormed ways to jump-start the economy. Their solution was new tariffs. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 slapped duties on about 20,000 imports. Rather than spur consumption and production of American goods, it sparked an international trade war. By 1932, American exports to Europe were just one-third of what they had been in 1929. Worldwide trade fell two-thirds as other nations retaliated. The protectionist measure protected nothing. Jobs...

If you ever wondered how trade wars start, pay attention. We are in the early stages of saber-rattling on trade and if some adult supervision does not come along, it could get much worse. Here’s how. Politicians tries to curry favor with unions or the steel industry or the auto industry and they insert a “Buy American” clause into legislation. In this case, it was the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009, otherwise known as President Obama’s economic stimulus plan. Then, politicians in other countries get the same ‘bright’ idea and they insert protectionist trade policies into legislation over...

It’ got to be a standout irony in the longstanding US-Canadian relationship that while some 70% of Canadians would have voted for Barack Obama if they could that Canada has been completely shut out of the American market by Obama’s stimulus bill.

In a desperate behind the scenes closed door session the United States has granted China 4 Senate Seats and 8 Congressional Seats in return for China's buying yet another substantial amount of U.S. Debt. China, at this point, technically owns the deed to the United States and felt that it should have some say in what it's rentors are doing with it's property. More as information is reported. (Humor folks - as in Ha Ha, that was funny)

The Defense Department strongly opposes the Buy American provision contained in both the House and Senate FY '07 defense bills, and warned that if the final bill contains those provisions, the President's advisors would recommend he veto the bill, according to a July 24 letter to lawmakers from Sec. Donald Rumsfeld. Additionally, Rumsfeld said that while the Pentagon supports the Senate's elimination of the need to maintain 12 aircraft carriers, it opposes plans that would restrict retiring the U-2 spy plane as well as other aircraft platforms. These issues are several points Rumsfeld raised in a letter to Senate Armed...

WASHINGTON — A defense bill approved by Congress would allow open competition for a multibillion-dollar contract to supply refueling tankers for the Air Force. President Bush is expected to sign the measure, squelching an earlier House-approved bill that would have helped Boeing by keeping the Pentagon from buying military equipment from the parent company of European jet maker Airbus.

Adding fuel to the debate over U.S.-international trade, a tech industry group is blasting "Buy American" legislation passed by the House of Representatives this week. On Friday, the Information Technology Association of America called the measure bad security policy and bad economic policy. The legislation, an amendment to the Homeland Security Authorization Act, would force the Department of Homeland Security to buy products mostly made in America. The legislation was authored by Rep. Don Manzullo, an Illinois Republican, and passed by the House on Wednesday. It would require more than 50 percent of the components in any end product procured...

...Expansion of Trade The U.S. economy is far more open today than it was a generation or two ago. Since 1950, international trade as measured by imports or exports has more than doubled as a percentage of GDP. This trend has had a large impact on manufacturing. Domestically produced goods as a percentage of total purchases of goods have fallen from 93 percent in 1970 to 70 percent in 2000. This aggregate figure, however, masks differences in the patterns of trade across different types of goods. American manufacturers have transferred lower-skilled jobs abroad to economies with abundant and cheap unskilled...

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.In response to the growing political agitation over the “jobless recovery” and the loss of manufacturing jobs under the impact of imports and outsourcing, the Bush Administration has launched a media campaign touting the importance of industry to the economy and the nation´s security.  In his Labor Day address, President George W. Bush said,.  “I understand for a full recovery, to make sure people can find work, that manufacturing must do better.  And we've lost thousands of jobs in manufacturing....some of it because production moved overseas.” In a recent Washington Times column,...

Lawmaker predicts defeat for 'Buy American' language By William New, National Journal's Technology Daily A provision that would limit Defense Department procurement to U.S. companies will be defeated during House-Senate negotiations over the Defense appropriations bill for fiscal 2004, a House lawmaker said on Wednesday. "We're not going to stop our cooperation with our allies," Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., told an audience of government officials and defense technology contractors. "We will back off." Weldon praised the sponsor of the so-called Buy American Act, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., but said curtailing cooperation with tech companies in...

Cabinet rejects 'Buy American' provision compromise By Amy Svitak, CongressDaily During a top-level meeting of key Bush administration officials Wednesday night, several Cabinet members again rejected the Pentagon's proposed compromise on controversial "Buy American" legislation included in the House version of the fiscal 2004 defense authorization bill. The revised language was drafted by Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz in response to concerns raised by other executive branch agencies at a meeting last Friday with Wolfowitz, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and other senior agency officials, according to congressional and industry sources....

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.Al-Qaeda is attempting to exploit the uncertainty about the cause of the recent electrical blackout that plunged 50 million people into medieval darkness.  In the London daily Al-Quds al-Arabi and on various radical websites, the claim is made that the Abu Hafs al-Misri Brigades hit two electrical generators that triggered the shutdown and caused an estimated $10 billion in losses. It is doubtful that terrorists had anything to do with the blackout.  What is of interest is that, as in the case of the World Trade Center attack, al-Qaeda said they were...

The Pentagon has dropped its opposition to controversial legislation that would direct the US to shun overseas suppliers in purchasing parts for essential weapons systems. The bill, which had faced a threatened veto from the White House, was watered down in negotiations between Duncan Hunter, the House armed services committee chairman, and Paul Wolfowitz (pictured), deputy defence secretary. In a "discussion draft" dated September 10 obtained by the Financial Times, the Pentagon is given wider authority to disregard the provision, permitting the defence secretary to grant waivers "in the interest of national defence". But the new language would still force...

<p>In an unusual rift between Republicans, leaders of the House Armed Services Committee accused the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman of breaking his word in negotiations over a $400.5 billion defense bill.</p> <p>At issue are House efforts to expand "Buy America" rules requiring the Pentagon to give preference to American suppliers. House Republicans say the Pentagon has become too dependent on foreign producers that could cut off supplies in disputes over U.S. policies.</p>

The Pentagon has dropped its opposition to controversial legislation that would direct the US to shun overseas suppliers in purchasing parts for essential weapons systems. The bill, which had faced a threatened veto from the White House, was watered down in negotiations between Duncan Hunter, the House armed services committee chairman, and Paul Wolfowitz (pictured), deputy defence secretary. In a "discussion draft" dated September 10 obtained by the Financial Times, the Pentagon is given wider authority to disregard the provision, permitting the defence secretary to grant waivers "in the interest of national defence". But the new language would still force...

The Pentagon has dropped its opposition to controversial legislation that would direct the US to shun overseas suppliers in purchasing parts for essential weapons systems.The bill, which had faced a threatened veto from the White House, was watered down in negotiations between Duncan Hunter, the House armed services committee chairman, and Paul Wolfowitz (pictured), deputy defence secretary. In a "discussion draft" dated September 10 obtained by the Financial Times, the Pentagon is given wider authority to disregard the provision, permitting the defence secretary to grant waivers "in the interest of national defence".But the new language would still force the Pentagon...

Dear Senator XXXX, I recently received your correspondence in regards to the Buy America provisions of the 2004 Defense Authorization Bill. Despite the tardiness I appreciate your response. As I cannot quite remember the specific wording of what I wrote, (if I am not mistaken I responded via the Internet after one of the initial reports on television from a specific Senator) I do however wish to further discuss this matter. I have heard (from various sources) the arguments you have contained in your letter. There are others that your letter didn’t mention, such as ‘if Singapore designs part of...