Our Best Hope for the White House

Democrats may seem cool, but stodgy Republicans are in Alberta’s interests

May 2, 2008  

by George Koch

The Great Depression was largely triggered by a blind rush to protectionism following the 1929 stock market crash. In today’s weakening economy, amid unease, negativity and even panic, there’d be nothing special stopping a Democrat-controlled Congress and a Democratic president from doing similar things. That’s why I’m for Republican John McCain. After the Canada-Obama dust-up, McCain spoke with genuine depth about the benefits of free trade and, even more, the importance of living up to signed agreements in maintaining international relations. That was a grown-up talking. We Albertans need to get beyond our esthetic objections to Republicans and recognize our own interests.

Others say don’t worry, it’s just a campaign pose; cooler heads and sound economic advice will prevail. The mini-scandal over Obama’s adviser’s allegedly off-the-record talk with Canadian diplomats suggests there may be something to that. Then again, Clinton and Obama are doctrinaire leftists, something ignored by the Canadian news media. Someone once quipped that Bill Clinton’s only genuine core beliefs were free trade and free love. His wife shares neither belief, while Obama has voted against new free-trade treaties, so perhaps it’s no pose.

Tearing up a free-trade agreement would cost the U.S. economy many billions. But just because something is destructive, even self-destructive, doesn’t mean politicians won’t do it. Obama’s basic international trade policy is a non sequitur of almost demented proportions. “I’ve talked to workers who have seen their plants shipped overseas as a consequence of bad trade deals like NAFTA, literally seeing equipment unbolted from the floors of factories and shipped to China,” he said in a recent TV debate. It’s gibberish. No NAFTA signatory is “overseas,” and there’s no free-trade deal with China.

The Great Depression was largely triggered by a blind rush to protectionism following the 1929 stock market crash. In today’s weakening economy, amid unease, negativity and even panic, there’d be nothing special stopping a Democrat-controlled Congress and a Democratic president from doing similar things. That’s why I’m for Republican John McCain. After the Canada-Obama dust-up, McCain spoke with genuine depth about the benefits of free trade and, even more, the importance of living up to signed agreements in maintaining international relations. That was a grown-up talking. We Albertans need to get beyond our esthetic objections to Republicans and recognize our own interests.

Current Issue