Edwinsimpson. Chinese Watch Debate Online, Take to Sina Weibo With Commentary. International Trade: Theory and Policy. World Sock Capital Suffers From Duty-Free Imports. Issues in International Political Economy: Obama and Mexico. International Trade: Theory and Policy. Www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4336.pdf. Big Bird swoops into presidential campaign. Big Bird. File,AP Photo/Matt Sayles As Republicans and Democrats wait eagerly for reliable polling information to measure the impact of last week's presidential debate, talk has turned - somewhat improbably - to a suddenly-controversial American entertainment figure: Big Bird. The over-sized bird, who has starred on the PBS children's show "Sesame Street" since 1969 and according to Wikipedia can roller skate, ice skate, dance, sing, write poetry, draw and even ride a unicycle, has lately found himself at the center of a political controversy, as candidates of both stripes have taken to projecting their political messages in the image of the 8'2'' primrose-yellow bird.
The rousing debate kicked off after last week's presidential debate, when Mitt Romney invoked Big Bird's name in addressing cuts he would make to reduce the deficit. "I like PBS, I love Big Bird," Romney told debate host Jim Lehrer, of PBS, when explaining some of the budget cuts he would make if elected. Obama talks tough on China trade in Ohio. (CBS News) CINCINNATI, Ohio - Fifty days before the election, President Obama campaigned Monday in Ohio. And for the second time in three months, he chose this key swing state to announce he's filing an unfair trade complaint against China, saying the Chinese are driving down the cost of auto parts.
The auto industry is a major employer in Ohio. It was the power of the incumbency at work -- Mr. Obama announcing a move he knew would be well received in a state, Ohio, that could decide the election. The president said: "Today, my administration is launching new action against China - this one against illegal subsidies that encourage companies to ship auto parts manufacturing jobs overseas. Complete coverage: Campaign 2012Poll: More view Obama positively after conventionBillionaire fiscal conservative spending $10M to back Romney It was the ninth unfair trade complaint this administration has filed against China.
For his part, Governor Romney called the president's move, too little, too late. The Case for Getting Much Tougher on China - Rick Newman. It's a sleeper issue in this year's campaign, since the state of the economy is most voters' biggest concern. But U.S. relations with China remain a touchy and even explosive matter, and China may have more to do with the stagnant U.S. economy than a lot of people realize. [Photo Gallery: iPhone 5 Draws a Crowd] Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney accuses China of using illegal trade practices to keep export prices artificially low, which robs American jobs. He frequently bashes President Obama for being soft on China and says that adopting tougher policies will be a "Day One" priority if he's elected.
The Obama administration, sensitive to Romney's charges, recently lodged a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization charging China with illegally subsidizing autos and auto parts to undercut American and global competitors. [See why our "Obamanometer" shows the economy favoring Romney.] [See why borrowing from China is good for America, not bad.] Obama Trade Document Leaked, Revealing New Corporate Powers And Broken Campaign Promises. WASHINGTON -- A critical document from President Barack Obama's free trade negotiations with eight Pacific nations was leaked online early Wednesday morning, revealing that the administration intends to bestow radical new political powers upon multinational corporations, contradicting prior promises.
The leaked document has been posted on the website of Citizens Trade Campaign, a long-time critic of the administration's trade objectives. The new leak follows substantial controversy surrounding the secrecy of the talks, in which some members of Congress have complained they are not being given the same access to trade documents that corporate officials receive. "The outrageous stuff in this leaked text may well be why U.S. trade officials have been so extremely secretive about these past two years of [trade] negotiations," said Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch in a written statement.
Sen. In a statement provided to HuffPost, the Office of the U.S. Obama ad hits Romney on China, outsourcing. On the eve of the first election debate, President Obama's campaign is running a new ad hitting Mitt Romney over outsourcing and China. In an ad called "Since When," Obama team says that Romney's private equity company, Bain Capital, invested in an appliance company that "maximized profits by paying its workers next to nothing under sweatshop conditions in China. "When Mitt Romney led Bain, they saw Global Tech as a good investment even knowing that the firm promoted its practice of exploiting low-wage labor to its investors," the ad says. "Mitt Romney, tough on China? Since when? " The ad is running the swing states of New Hampshire, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada. Romney aides said the ad is Obama's latest attempt to cover up his own record, including ineffectiveness in dealing with China's unfair trade practices.
From Romney spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg: "This is another 'overboard' ad from a president who is trying to distract from his failure to stand up to China. Mexican official: CIA 'manages' drug trade - Features. Juarez, Mexico - The US Central Intelligence Agency and other international security forces "don't fight drug traffickers", a spokesman for the Chihuahua state government in northern Mexico has told Al Jazeera, instead "they try to manage the drug trade". Allegations about official complicity in the drug business are nothing new when they come from activists, professors, campaigners or even former officials. However, an official spokesman for the authorities in one of Mexico's most violent states - one which directly borders Texas - going on the record with such accusations is unique. "It's like pest control companies, they only control," Guillermo Terrazas Villanueva, the Chihuahua spokesman, told Al Jazeera last month at his office in Juarez.
"If you finish off the pests, you are out of a job. If they finish the drug business, they finish their jobs. " Accusations are 'baloney' Villanueva is not a high ranking official and his views do not represent Mexico's foreign policy establishment.