Before he was Politician Donald Trump – he was Businessman-TV Star Donald Trump. All along the way (check out this “Oprah” hit from all the way back in 1988), Trump championed a Reality-based approach to actually free, fair trade. On which he eventually campaigned – as he ran for his new entry-level political position.
Trump’s trade approach – was antithetical to the way Washington, D.C. had long been doing trade. The DC warped definition of “free trade” was:
We would accommodate every other nation on the planet – by removing our government impediments to their goods and services coming here. Meanwhile, we’d do next to nothing to get their governments to return the favor.
Trump thought this was dumb. In no small part – because it’s dumb.
Trump proposed the weird notion that America’s government should first and foremost look out for – American companies and its people.
DC’s “free trade” – can rightly be called the America Last approach. It did everything it could to help every business on the planet – except for ours.
Decades of this dumbness has led to ever more brazen government attacks on U.S. company interests overseas. We again yesterday documented but a couple of the innumerable instances – where China and South Korea have issued blatantly anti-legal “legal” decisions against U.S. company Qualcomm.
Again, these sorts of absurdities – are occurring all over the world. To wit: Guatemala.
Guatemala currently ranks 72nd on the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) list. That is the best in central America – but it places them just below (in ascending order) Kenya, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia and…Syria. So…there is room for improvement.
Guatemala’s proximity to the United States – and our massive market for narcotics – presents Guatemala and its neighbors with a pernicious, persistent problem: A great percentage of their respective populations have taken up work in the drug trade – and with the gangs that go along with it.
Central America Is As Violent As Ever. What Would it Take to Change?
Glad you asked. How about a bunch of (U.S.) companies massively investing within their confines – which would address this and a whole host of other problems we face?
A U.S. Immigration Solution: Fix Central America
But, again, not with massive infusions of welfare – which is the way DC and the globe’s globalists have for decades been futilely trying.
Massive music band U2’s lead singer Bono – knows that doesn’t work:
“So some of Africa is rising – and some of Africa is stuck. The question is whether the rising bit will pull the rest of Africa up – or whether the other Africa will weigh the continent down. Which will it be?
“The stakes here aren’t just about them. Imagine for a second this last global recession – but without the economic growth of China and India. Without the hundreds of millions of newly-minted middle class folks who now buy American and European goods. Imagine that. Think about the last five years.
“Rock star preaches capitalism. Shh…wow. Sometimes I hear myself and I just can’t believe it. But commerce is real. What you’re about here – it’s real.
“Aid is just a stop gap. Commerce, entrepreneurial capitalism takes more people out of poverty than aid. Of course we know that.”
The very same free market rock logic – applies to Guatemala and all of central America. Bring on the (U.S.) capital investment.
President Trump – gets it.
President Trump’s State Department – gets it.
Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales – gets it: “‘I think we can combat that common interest; we can work hand in hand generating job opportunities in Guatemala. How job opportunities? Generating businesses, generating employment, generating economic links, taking better advantage of our trade agreement in such a way…that way we could convince our people…to engage in certain economic activities and they have a safe future here.”
What shouldn’t happen is Guatemala’s government subsequently attacking said investment – after they are fortunate enough to receive it.
Guatemalan Lower Court Issues Ruling On Tahoe’s Mining License: “Tahoe Resources Inc. today reported that the Company has learned that the Supreme Court of Guatemala has issued a provisional decision in respect of an action brought by the anti-mining organization, CALAS….The provisional decision suspends the Escobal mining license of Minera San Rafael while the action is being reviewed by the court.”
Tahoe Resources is an American company that did just what is needed in Guatemala – invested a whole lot of coin there. Exactly as Presidents Trump and Morales envisioned.
But then a Guatemalan environmentalism whack job group – Guatemala ain’t immune to that inanity – sued to stop Tahoe from doing its job.
Tahoe’s job entails – a whole lot of Guatemalans doing their jobs. Tahoe has enticed – with peaceful, productive work – a whole lot of natives away from the drug trade and the gangs.
Except a Leftist environmentalist hack group – has sued and shut them down.
Every day away from their straight gigs – brings many of these Guatemalans a day closer to joining the gangs and the drug trade. Which is…no bueno.
And this entire mess – is an awful visual aide for any foreign investor considering doing what Tahoe has done.
Given the fact that Presidents Trump and Morales both eminently get all of this – they should work together to rapidly resolve it.
And get everybody back to doing just the kind of good work – for which we’ve all long been hoping.
See? “America First” actually means better things – for everyone, everywhere.
This first appeared in Red State.