Category: Trade

Why red lines are for losers. The complexity of international strategy
Red Lines are for Losers: Developing an International Strategy

Red Lines are for Losers: Developing an International Strategy

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Show 7-16 Summary: Strategy is always complicated but it gets even more so on an international stage. Tune in to hear the challenges facing the U.S. on multiple fronts as we look at international strategy through two distinct but intertwined lenses: economic and military. You’ll come away with new respect for the complexity of international strategy in an ever-changing world as President Trump rolls out his strategy that favors action. And why there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

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Air Dates: Month 22 & 23, 2017 | Crista Huff & Carl Higbie

I Spy Radio is going international this week. Well, actually, we’re always international thanks to all of our stations’ live streaming, but imagine a giant jigsaw puzzle and you finally figure out where your piece fits. So far, the jigsaw has seemed just a jumbled mass of confusion but then you put your piece in place and suddenly the puzzle starts to make sense. That’s because your piece changed the landscape and became part of the big picture.

Strategy and its moving parts
Strategy is complex. Try moving just one part.

But then, all of the pieces around your piece change shape and form and the picture changes yet again.

And that is essentially what’s going on with the US’s international strategy where you have Trump making strong decisions in Syria and also now in N. Korea — fitting in his piece of the puzzle. His actions, as just a part of the overall strategy, start to change the big picture even with the world’s complications.  Because we’re not only dealing with other cultures and nation states but then there’s also the confluence of US law. And their laws. And on and on.

On this week’s show we have two guests who will focus on two different aspects of international strategies. One is Carl Higbie, a military expert and former Navy Seal, and you’ve undoubtedly heard him on Fox News.  And we also have Crista Huff (@CristaHuff) who is a chief stock analyst for Cabot Wealth (cabotwealth.com).  Both of these individuals look at the world in terms of our international policies from two very different lenses. One through economics and one through military and yet the two lenses are very intertwined.

Obama's red line strategyTake Syria. A prime example of complex situations centered around military action but a war that started not only over political but over economic reasons: an oil and gas pipeline. Add to the mix Russia whose economy depends on attempting to dominate oil in Europe.  Now top that off with our own changes in the US moving from a leader, Obama, who had a non-action policy to Trump as a leader who is engaged by taking action and making changes.

Listen to hear how even though we’re throwing the net pretty wide this week you’ll gain an understanding and appreciation of just how complex so many of these issues are especially when you’re dealing with two very different dictators.

Links Mentioned

Crista Huff (Segment 1 –3)

We didn’t get a chance to talk to Crista Huff about China’s currency manipulation but here are some articles about it if you’d like to learn more. and note the changing strategy in relation to shifts on the ground.

Carl Higbie’s (Segments 4–6)

Trump's Promises - Fighting Illegal Immigration and Fighting For Fair Trade Deals
Trump’s Promises | Trade and Immigration

Trump’s Promises | Trade and Immigration

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Show Summary: Trump’s promises on trade and immigration reform were central to his campaign—and to his victory. Will he fulfill those promises?

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Air Dates: March 4 & 5, 2017 | William Gheen & Tom Stumo

There were two hot-button issues that were central promises Trump made during his campaign: fixing illegal immigration and getting us out of bad trade deals. We’ve seen the swamp’s alligators already fight back against Trump’s executive order on illegal immigrants, just imagine what will happen once he starts taking actions to renegotiate on trillion-dollar trade deals—which incorporate immigration policies.

We know what bad trade deals look like: the TPP. The Trans Pacific Partnership would have, among other things, done away with American sovereignty. It would have made our laws subject to a foreign court. But what would good trade deals look like?

Trump’s Promises

Infographic Trump's promises - immigration and tradeWe talk with Michael Stumo, the CEO of Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) to understand what effective trade policies look like — and how our politicians have sabotaged U.S. interests, whether wittingly or unwittingly. CPA is a coalition of agriculture, manufacturing and organized labor associations, companies and individuals. CPA’s mission is to develop policies to balance U.S. trade, maintain U.S. sovereignty, and develop an effective national production and economic strategy.

But first we talk with William Gheen of ALIPAC about another of Trump’s promises: fighting for legal immigration. We found out how President Trump is doing on fulfilling his promises and what people ought to be doing to make sure he does.

President Trump, in his speech to Congress, mentioned a “merit-based immigration system,” similar to what Canada uses. Is this something the U.S. should use? Tune in to hear the merits of the merit based system and how this could be a step in the right direction to radically transform our current system, which rewards family ties over real contributions to society.

Links Mentioned

William Gheen (Segments 1–3)

Michael Stumo (Segments 4–6)

This Week on I Spy Radio - The Trans Pacific Partnership is a horrible deal. Which presidential candidates are secretly for it.
Why Trans Pacific Partnership is a Bad Deal for America

Why Trans Pacific Partnership is a Bad Deal for America

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Show Summary: The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal is Obama’s final nail in America’s coffin. If you thought Obamacare and the Iran Deal were bad, you haven’t seen anything yet. In an explosive interview, we dive into why it’s bad and why our Congressmen vote for such atrocities. And not just why but who is supporting this? Plus, could one of the presidential candidates, who publicly says he’s against it, might actually be for it?

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Air Dates: Apr. 16 & 17, 2016 | Crista Huff (former Morgan Stanley VP

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One of the questions we consistently try to answer here on the I Spy Radio Show, is why. Why does a government agency do this or why does a politician do that? But uncovering “why” requires digging deeper into motivations and a lot times those motivations are hidden away, lurking in the shadows where you don’t know what happened behind closed doors or what’s been promised.

On this week’s show, we’re talking about the monstrosity better known as the TPP – the Trans Pacific Partnership. This is Obama’s magnum opus for weakening America. And it must be stopped. The TPP is a major trade deal involving 12 Pacific Rim nations, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Vietnam and others. China is not a signer, yet, because after the agreement is signed China can come in later through a back door.  Why, do you ask? Oh, you’ll find out why.

Trans Pacific Partnership = Anti-American

It’s amazing that anyone who calls themselves an American is backing this agreement. Foremost it represents a stunning loss of U.S. sovereignty.  But beyond that, common economic sense says this will harm the US economy–especially given that even its own supporters say it will result in only a 0.13% increase in the nation’s Gross Domestic Product by 2025. (See links, below, for citation.)

But even that less -than-rosy projection is based on the assumption of the U.S. being at full-employment. (How’s that worked out the last seven years?) So why take a huge gamble and throw our economy into upheaval for not even 1/50th of a percent increase per year over nine years?

It boggles the mind why would anyone in the U.S. support this. And not just why, but who is supporting this? Tune in to learn the answers, including whether one of the presidential candidates might be misrepresenting their position on the Trans Pacific Partnership. And find out why, if this goes through, it really could be the end of America as we know.

Links Mentioned During Show

  • Crista Huff’s terrific website, Good Fellow, LLC. Be sure to check out her fantastic TPP blog page, frequently updated with the latest info
  • Check out Crista on Kerry Lutz’s Financial Survival blogtalk podcast
  • If you want to stop the TPP, CALL the Capitol Switchboard! (202) 224-3121. Ask to be transferred to your Congressman’s office and tell them you want them to vote no on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal; do the same for both of your senators.
  • The Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee is Rep. Kevin Brady (TX).
  • Article via Drudge: New Balance publicly calls the TTP a bad deal (Apr 13, 2016)
  • Robert Zoellick and The Trilateral Commission and Robert (via FreedomWorks’ SourceWatch)

Related Links

We’re impressed with a number of articles from Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). Here are a few of them: