Campaign contribution clarification
A Diamondback editorial Aug. 24 regarding the state Senate race in District 21 stated that I had made a personal contribution to Senator Giannetti’s campaign. That is true. What the editorial neglected to mention, however, was that the contribution was made to the sitting senator representing this district before any primary challenger had filed as a candidate.
With a more precise review of the record, you would have found that I have made no contributions or endorsement of either candidate since the primary became contested.
John Porcari
Vice President for Administrative Affairs
Free trade has changed the world for the better
In Jason George’s Aug. 17 column, “Freetrade consequences,” he touches on the United States trade deficit, which shows that the U.S. is exporting less goods and services than it is importing. But economics majors like George know that focusing only on the deficit ignores the country’s capital account surplus, which tracks the movements of investments in and out of the U.S. economy. If the U.S. economy is more attractive for investment rather than for its goods and services, then why are we worse off? Trade would not occur at all if it made us worse off.
It is also ironic how the column promotes freedom by advocating government intervention (thus a restriction of freedom) in the economy – a step that only serves to harm people. We can look at the massive government intervention in African countries or the former Soviet Union for examples.
It is when America moved away from nationalist policies and toward a freer market that its economy became stronger and its people better off. A return to these arbitrary policies would be a dire mistake, one that the U.S. will not make because its policymakers understand the benefits of free markets.
The way of development is through freedom, not through politicians trying to control, often wrongly, the market. Free trade has made the world a better and more prosperous place, and the free market has made the average American life much better. One only has to look at statistics for life expectancy, number of cars, access to computers, and so on, to see an improvement in lifestyle to one that once only the rich could enjoy.
Sure, things are not perfect – not for us, and especially not for many others abroad in poorer countries. But arbitration of the marketplace is not the answer.
Omar El Shal
Junior
Economics and government and politics
