On Trade: Obama Right, Critics Wrong New York Times – Thomas Friedman. While most political commentators today have been focusing on the domestic consequences of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Friedman looks at the TPP through its impact on global affairs. His article acts as a basic defense of liberal foreign policy theory: the US must promote greater engagement and trade with other countries in order to stabilize the world arena and bring about peace. He says: [T]here has never been a more important time for the coalition of free-market democracies and democratizing states, that are the core of the World of Order, to come together and establish the best rules for global integration for the 21st century, including appropriate trade, labor and environmental standards. These agreements would strengthen the backbone of the World of Order. Whether you agree with this argument or not, it’s a fresh perspective that should be examined for anyone looking to better understand the TPP and its effects. U.S. economic growth slows to 0.2 percent, grinding nearly to a halt Washington Post – Chico Harlan Between January and March of 2015, the US Gross Domestic Product grew at a rate of 0.2 percent. This number is certainly not great news and heightens concerns about the fragility of the American economy. However, others point to harsh winter weather, low oil prices, and stagnant wages as limiting factors. In this vein, Wells Fargo said in a research note that the US economy “looks poised to repeat the pattern it exhibited in 2014 — a weak Q1 followed by a rebound back to steadier growth for the remainder of the year.” How We Burned Baltimore CNN – Eric Liu Eric Liu diagnoses the current state of the US after the Baltimore riots. Instead of falling into the normal left-right frames of blaming the other side, Liu reflects on how we, as a people, have come … Continue reading Daily Clips: April 29th, 2015