Rep. Ron Kind proposes new trade solutions

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind proposed new trade solutions and a re-evaluation of President Donald Trump’s trade authority Tuesday.

A lack of vision or strategy is how the La Crosse Democrat described Trump’s trade disputes with China and other nations. Kind said Trump’s tariffs go against the international-based global trading system.

Kind said “reckless” trade wars hurt family farms and put Wisconsin’s manufacturing index at a seven-year low.

“I’ve never seen a president work harder to plunge our nation into another recession, especially leading up to his own election chances,” Kind said.

He offered two alternate paths for creating fair trade on behalf of the Democratic Party. The first was to build an international coalition with like-minded countries to oppose China. The second was to invest in technology and STEM, to outdo China’s innovation.

“That is probably the best way we can beat china right now, but the president lacks any type of vision or agenda to do just that,” Kind said.

A possible trade agreement has Kind hopeful for farmers and manufacturers.

The USMCA is the proposed agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Kind hoped it would be brought up for debate and vote early this fall when Congress is back in session. He is concerned, however, about the enforcement chapter.

“Right now, it relies almost exclusively on the president’s unilateral discretion to find Mexico and Canada in violation, and put unilateral tariff’s against them,” Kind said. “That will only put them back in the box they are currently in and invite and Mexico and Canada to retaliate against us again.”

Kind promised to propose legislation that would remove some trade authority from the president and give more power to congress.