Mort got it part right yesterday in his Roll Call article.  The part where he said an "aggressive effort to fight trade cheating by China" and "combat unfair trade practices by China" is needed is correct.  However, will it be too late - now a quarter century into it - since many of us have been saying, "hey... wait a minute..."

Where Mort is wrong is where he says we need programs to soften the effects of trade 'problems' here in the U.S.  More government programs?  I don't like to see Mort bring out his moderate progressive or progressive moderate side so much.  Mort also says Walmart is not a blight but a "boon to the middle class" as trade helps to keep prices lower.  If one looks at the way companies like Walmart not only benefit from but aggressively encourage '(free) trade' by the very aggressive encouraging of the moving of manufacturing with companies like Rubbermaid to 'get the Walmart price' [for us all?].

When a country encourages trade with tyrants they are encouraging tyranny for their people - however vicariously.  The leaders in this country - both parties - have done just that with their active participation in lobbying for manufacture of our goods with 'comparative advantage' involving slave and impoverished labor.

Many of us have been saying since the 70s, when this juggernaught to free tread began, that one of Morts bright ideas in his column yesterday would not only be a good idea but essential.  That is the other part where Mr. Kondracke is right.  We need labor and environmental standard for trade partners shipping here.  Period.  Bottom line.

We shall if it's too little too late, as China is (found recently to have been) tracking our carriers (as the deal on the trade we've allowed their military factories behind their closed doors to build with! changes?) our president galivants all over inviting everyone into the North Atlantic Organization, WTO, and Iraq; and we are seeing the dollar in free fall - not many counting on us at this time it seems.