Shadow Government

A front-row seat to the Republicans' debate over foreign policy, including their critique of the Biden administration.

State of the Union: Obama vague on trade

This did not feel like President Obama’s first State of the Union address. It was just four months ago that he stood before a joint session of Congress, calling for action on his top priority — health  care reform. I was struck then that his speech was so devoid of specifics. It seemed a mistake. ...

This did not feel like President Obama's first State of the Union address. It was just four months ago that he stood before a joint session of Congress, calling for action on his top priority -- health  care reform. I was struck then that his speech was so devoid of specifics. It seemed a mistake.

I had the same reaction to his trade comments this evening. The president said:

"If America sits on the sidelines while other nations sign trade deals, we will lose the chance to create jobs on our shores."

This did not feel like President Obama’s first State of the Union address. It was just four months ago that he stood before a joint session of Congress, calling for action on his top priority — health  care reform. I was struck then that his speech was so devoid of specifics. It seemed a mistake.

I had the same reaction to his trade comments this evening. The president said:

"If America sits on the sidelines while other nations sign trade deals, we will lose the chance to create jobs on our shores."

He seemed on the verge of calling for Congress to pass pending accords with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea, which await only an up-down vote. Yet the president veered away into a non sequitur caveat: We must enforce our agreements! That’s true, but it would seem that as the head of the executive branch, he could handle that.

He ended the trade section with only a vague call for improved relations. I wish instead he had closed with lines from later in the speech: "Do not walk away… Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job …. "

Phil Levy is the chief economist at Flexport and a former senior economist for trade on the Council of Economic Advisers in the George W. Bush administration. Twitter: @philipilevy

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