Well that went well! No really – it did. I was pleasantly surprised at how warmly the Americans responded to us. They didn’t have to, but they put up seriously senior officials, gave us access to significant politicians, and presented us with substantial business leaders. All credit to Stephen Jacobi and the team at our end and to his counterparts in the US.
Given the overwhelming, all-consuming debate around whether everyone should be allowed to have access to health care (say what?), it’s surprising the Americans had any time to talk about trade at all. But they did. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was clearly on the agenda, but timing was the issue.
Obama clearly has to make workers feel more secure before he can venture out into trade territory which might make them nervous. The Land of the Free isn’t always – certainly not when it comes to health and sometimes not when it comes to trade either. Providing healthcare for all will go a long way to shoring up insecure workers. With nearly 15 million of them out of work, security becomes paramount.
I was interested in how much the talk around business actually included talk around security – of borders, of the rule of law, of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. It all ties together actually….and that segues nicely into my next blog, when I talk about the Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament meeting (PNND) which I have just been at in New York. If we don’t get that right, we won’t have anybody left to trade with….
Nice to hear about your progress
Moderation? Gulp.
Its not often i type these words but…
Congratulations, Labour, on seeing the world outside politics and working with National for a better NZ.
Seeing the world outside politics ?
It sounds like its national who has (finally) ditched the party politics over the nuclear issue and put the country first..
And didnt labour take someone from National to the signing of the Free Trade agreement with China.
Sorry Ghostwhowalksnz,
Where did i criticise Labour? I was congratulating them on what they did in working with National.
1. I never said that it was since National came in that these things started.
2. Even if I was, National took 2 Labour MPs unlike Labour who just one Nat…