YES TO TRADE, NO TO WTO:

Acting Conciliatory, U.S. Seeks to Revive Global Trade Talks (ELIZABETH BECKER, 1/12/04, NY Times)

Of special concern was the $12.9 billion the United States pays in subsidies to farmers to grow cotton and to American textile companies to buy that cotton. The W.T.O. allowed several West African nations to make a proposal at Cancún that the United States and other nations reduce or eliminate those subsidies. The African nations said the subsidies distorted trade and was unfairly destroying the livelihood of some of the world's poorest farmers.

In his letter, Mr. Zoellick makes no concessions on cotton but does say he will discuss the issue.

Brazil has mounted a legal challenge to America's cotton subsidies in the first case that the W.T.O. has accepted on agricultural subsidies. A preliminary decision is expected this spring and could open the door to more cases against rich-nation farm subsidies.

As tempting as it seems to use the WTO to get rid of our farm subsidies--which we patently have no political will to do ourselves--it represents an end run on democracy and an attrition of national sovereignty, so we should leave the WTO.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 12, 2004 08:44 PM