Politics

The skepticism was evident in conservative talk-show host Laura Ingraham’s voice when she referred to the working relationship between President Obama and Senate Majority Leader McConnell as a “burgeoning bromance.” Her sentiment is shared by a number of Republicans in Congress, who are unhappy that Senate and House leadership is working with the president to […]

The last several months have been a turbulent time for President Enrique Peña Nieto. Perceptions of a lack of urgency on the part of the federal administration following the disappearance of dozens of students in the state of Guerrero in September 2014, and evidence that police and political figures affiliated with the governing PRI colluded […]

Senate Democrats demonstrated once again that Congress just can’t see the forest for the trees. They have proven exactly why President Obama did not want the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement to be the focal point of a fight over Fast Track Authority. He was worried that a debate on Fast Track would devolve into […]

The upcoming congressional debate over Trade Promotion Authority gives our elected officials in Washington the chance to create new opportunities and open new markets for American small businesses around the world. I, along with millions of other small-business owners, hope they succeed and pass this critical legislation.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was passed by Congress in 2000. It was intended to boost the global competitiveness of sub-Saharan African nations by giving them duty-free access to the U.S. market for all goods covered under the Generalized System of Preferences, plus an additional 4,000 items. Fifteen years later, however, we haven’t […]

Nearly four years after NATO-backed rebels toppled the former Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi, the North African country has plunged into chaotic unrest. The failure of last year’s election to achieve political unity in Libya was most evident when Fajr Libya or “Libya Dawn” — a diverse coalition of armed groups that includes an array of […]

just dodged a bullet. But their Achilles heel still can be exposed by the European Union’s monopoly litigation. Ninety five percent of Google’s revenue comes from Ad Words. They are a brilliantly successful revenue generator. The profit in Ad Words comes from Search. However, this amazing revenue generator is also Google’s Achilles heel.

A snap election held in late January produced a decisive victory for Syriza. This leftist party pledged to force the IMF, the EU, and the European Central Bank — the so-called “troika” — to renegotiate the terms of agreements made by previous governments to obtain emergency loans totaling $280 billion, and gave its blessing to […]

On March 2nd, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. In simple terms, the case is about who has the authority to control political redistricting in the states — the state legislature or an independent commission. In even simpler terms, the case is about […]

A snap parliamentary election will be held on March 17, triggered by the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ideologically eclectic coalition less than halfway through its four-year mandate. The political marriage in which Netanyahu’s center-right Likud teamed up with both moderate nationalists and staunch right-wingers was troubled from the start by disagreements over budget […]

Let’s face it, companies competing in global markets often depend on their governments for export-related financing and support. With every nation trying to win jobs and promote exports for companies in their own countries, the Export-Import Bank of the United States does the same: it provides the financial scaffolding to support American business interests worldwide.

President Obama’s Dec. 17, 2014, announcement that the United States will re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba after more than 50 years is a paradigm shift that offers some immediate opportunities for the trade community. However, the more meaningful step of removing the longstanding U.S. economic embargo against Cuba will have to be taken by Congress.

The crackdown on high-level corruption that has characterized Xi Jinping’s presidency has continued as the ruling CCP takes steps to address a major contributor to popular discontent, while also providing Xi with an opportunity to purge rivals and consolidate his position. Both objectives have taken on added urgency as the latest growth figures and evidence […]

After languishing for eight years under the congressional leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, prospects for trade liberalization are once again promising in 2015. With Republicans taking control of the Senate and increasing their majority in the House, President Obama can expect greater receptivity to his trade initiatives on Capitol Hill. But an important […]

The 114th Congress features a Republican majority that is larger than any since 1928 and ready to flex that GOP muscle. While a Democratic White House could create speed bumps to GOP efforts to advance certain legislative initiatives, both sides have said trade policy is an issue where they might find common ground.

A steep fall in global oil prices has reinforced strong downward pressure on the ruble. This was triggered in 2014 by massive outflows of foreign capital in response to sanctions imposed by the U.S., the EU, and other western countries to punish Russia for the annexation of Crimea and hostile actions in eastern Ukraine.

The recent midterm elections have sparked hope that a Democratic White House and a Republican-controlled Congress will advance a number of long-stalled customs and trade initiatives. To help lawmakers brighten the holiday season before they adjourn for the year, we put together the following list of bills to boost domestic employment, expand foreign markets, align […]

Security will remain high on the Saudi agenda amid concerns over the rise of ISIL, a Sunni jihadist group that has gained control over large sections of Syria and Iraq. ISIL militants overwhelmed Iraqi military forces following the launch of major offensive in June. And while the advance was largely halted with the help of […]

William McChesney Martin, former chair of the Federal Reserve Board, famously stated that “the job of the Fed is to take away the punch bowl when the party is still going.” A quote from the 1960s, but very relevant today as the Fed voted in October to end the third quantitative easing (QE3) program. What […]

In March 2014, the 612-member National Assembly approved an overhaul of the 1995 foreign investment law. This was a key step forward in the program of economic liberalization initiated by President Raúl Castro as part of a strategy for laying the foundation for a smooth transfer of political control to a younger generation of leaders […]