Mike Thompson: “It seems to me one of the very few things that has been agreed upon in the civilized world over the last few years is…”

“It seems to me one of the very few things that has been agreed upon in the civilized world over the last few years is the benefits of free trade. It is the source of much of the prosperity we have enjoyed in this country because our advances in technology have led to increases in productivity. It has put us in a very competitive position with regard to the world. Trade has been an integral part of that. It has lifted millions and millions of people out of poverty. As we see around the world, the expansion of free market philosophy sometimes leads to more democratic institutions. Very much of it is based on these economies opening up. Very much of that has to do with the benefits of free trade where people make the things that they make best and do the things they do best, open up their borders, turn their backs on protectionism, and engage in free trade with other countries. The most remarkable example of that recently, it seems to me, would be the country of China.”