Advocates Need to Make the Important Case for Free Trade | Simon Lester | Cato Institute: Commentary

Advocates Need to Make the Important Case for Free Trade | Simon Lester | Cato Institute: Commentary: "There is no doubt that exports are good for domestic producers, but imports are just as beneficial, if not more so, to domestic consumers. Import competition leads to lower prices, higher quality and a greater variety of goods and services to choose from. "

"Being for "free and fair" trade is kind of like being for both war and peace. While the terms are used flexibly, under most definitions "free trade" is not really compatible with "fair trade." For those who advocate fair trade (there are a number of versions, but all are similar), free trade is not fair. And for those who support free trade (at its core, this means not using protectionism), fair trade is not free."