Not huge news in the scheme of things, but well-timed in terms of forcing the weasels to get more specific:
The World Trade Organization barred China on Thursday from imposing duties on certain U.S. steel exports, siding with U.S. President Barack Obama in a dispute with Beijing over a type of steel made in two election battleground states.
The case involved duties imposed by China on “grain-oriented electrical steel,” which is used in the cores of high-efficiency transformers, electric motors and generators. The steel is made by AK Steel Corp of Ohio and ATI Allegheny Ludlum of Pennsylvania.
Although the specialty steel case is tiny compared with other trade disputes with Beijing, the WTO ruling gave Obama a timely win as he defends himself against accusations by his Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, that he is soft on China.
“Today we are again plainly stating that we will continue to take every step necessary to ensure that China plays by the rules and does not unfairly restrict exports of U.S. products,” Obama administration trade representative Ron Kirk said in a statement.
When the Obama administration filed the case, the volume of specialty steel trade with China was in the range of $250 million. That pales in comparison with the auto and auto-parts trade at issue in the most recent case Washington filed against China in September. The volume of auto parts trade alone amounted to about $12 billion in 2011, according to the Alliance for American Manufacturing.
The Romney campaign repeated on Thursday that China was stealing U.S. jobs and that Obama was not standing up to Beijing.
I think media here needed a current, local issue to ask Romney-Ryan some questions on their constant repetition of this meaningless, focus-group tested campaign phrase:
The Romney campaign repeated on Thursday that China was stealing U.S. jobs and that Obama was not standing up to Beijing.
And repeated. And repeated.
Hopefully this news will give Ohio media an opening. Romney-Ryan don’t answer specific questions and they have been successful nationally relying on that deliberate strategy, but they have been less successful at the state level in Ohio. They occasionally get asked a real question here.
Exurban Mom
Awesome. Another blow for the truth.
Kay, any report from last night’s Brown/Mandel debate? Couldn’t watch it and am wondering what happened…
Patricia Kayden
As President Obama said in the last debate, Romneybot is the last person to be talking about China in terms of jobs. Hope President Obama continues to take it to him in the last debate.
Kay
@Exurban Mom:
I couldn’t watch it either. I imagine he’ll be adding this to his stump speech, though, which was trade-heavy and pro-Obama anyway.
Ben Franklin
Good timing, that. I wonder if the Admin is seeing the slowing of the Great Wheel of China is an indication they feel vulnerable, and might lighten up on the intransigence.
Kay
@Exurban Mom:
They’re amazing, but it’s working for her, so why stop?
Jesus Christ. The brass. Imagine if real life was like this? It’s so easy! “Stop asking me… things! Demagogue!”
Patricia Kayden
Just heard this story on Stephanie Miller’s show. So cute!
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/18/14541176-puppies-kept-lost-alabama-boy-warm-in-woods-rescuer-says?lite
quannlace
China doesn’t need to ‘steal’ jobs. Not when every American exec is happily shoving them overseas.
BGinCHI
Wonder how much Romney will make after this ruling?
Or did the WTO siding with the US hurt his investments?
The Bearded Blogger
Obamaland needs to toot this horn loudly. Not just in Ohio.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
Nationwide, if you’re ever gonna see any given media outlet show a little spine, it’ll be a local one. Sure as shit will never be the Villagers.
That being said, I didn’t think Rmoney actually talked to anybody outside the highly vetted events, yunno ala how Caribou Barbie was shielded after her run in with that noted left winger Katie Couric.
BGinCHI
Just in case you wondered what I’m dressing my almost 10-month-old as for Halloween:
http://www.flavorwire.com/338321/kids-halloween-costumes-that-theyre-too-young-to-understand#2
He’ll be Jesse, this year.
The Republic of Stupidity
@Kay:
Hopefully, some reporter will have the nerve to ask Linda what the word ‘demagogue’ means… just to make sure she does…
batgirl
Has anyone here pointed out what the ass Joe Walsh said last night in a debate with Tammy Duckworth here in IL for the 8th district? He said that abortion is never necessary, not even to save the life of the mother because of “medical technology.”
BGinCHI
@batgirl: I fucking hate that guy.
I don’t have anything more constructive to say than that, no.
burnspbesq
@Ben Franklin:
What the fuck are you trying to say here? Stop babbling, child. If you have a point to make, make it intelligibly.
burnspbesq
If winning cases at the WTO is “not standing up to China,” I’d like to see our Gubmint not stand up to China some more.
Ben Franklin
@burnspbesq:
If I’d known you were lurking I would have spoken in the simple declarative sentences you understand…or not.
C-h-i-n-a-s e-c-o-n-o-m-y i-s s-l-o-w-i-n-g d-o-w-n…….
Google the big words.
burnspbesq
@Ben Franklin:
C-h-i-n-a-s e-c-o-n-o-m-y i-s s-l-o-w-i-n-g d-o-w-n…….
Duh. So fucking what, asshole?
danimal
@Ben Franklin: @burnspbesq: Is this where a sixth-grader yells “Fight” and the whole schoolyard circles the combatants?
burnspbesq
@danimal:
I’m just trying to get a clarification of a decidedly unclear statement, and the only way to get it seems to be with abuse.
Wolfdaughter
@Patricia Kayden:
Yes, I’m under the impression that Bain outsourced jobs to China while Romney was CEO. Another example of “Romnesia”.
PurpleGirl
@danimal: I believe so.
It is possible to think that Ben Franklin meant “as” instead of “is” and the sentence makes more sense (to me at least). I wonder if the Admin is seeing the slowing of the Great Wheel of China AS an indication they feel vulnerable, and might lighten up on the intransigence.
It’s a common error to type one word when you meant another word which is spelled with some of the same letters.
Ben Franklin
@burnspbesq:
the only way to get it seems to be with abuse.
your stock-in-trade. Do you actually ever reach court, cuz i suspect Jurists have your number, as well.
feebog
@ Purple Girl:
What difference does it make? Either way you read it, it has no relevance to the discussion, which was about the U.S. taking on China over unfair trade practices. The fact (if it is a fact) that China’s economy is slowing down and then speculating that China may be less likely to continue such practices in the future lends nothing to the discussion.
Ben Franklin
@feebog:
lends nothing to the discussion.
Ferchrissakes. Can’t I wonder about the internals of this without you assholes proscribing anything your feeble imaginations fail to grasp?
Go fuck yourself.