Friday, June 07, 2013

Biden and Latin America

Nice to see this from Joe Biden:


As leaders across the region work to lift their citizens out of poverty and to diversify their economies from commodity-led growth, the U.S. believes that the greatest promise—for Americans and for our neighbors—lies in deeper economic integration and openness.


I like the explicit recognition of how commodity-based growth is problematic. Historically, of course, the U.S. has loved that type of growth because it benefited greatly from it.

At the same time, however, he was praising free trade agreements, which in fact create an incentive to use economies of scale to produce commodities. In other words, free trade alone doesn't lead to diversification. Interestingly, Biden also began the op-ed by praising...flower farms (though, to be fair, he mentioned small businesses).

In general, though, this sort of recognition of basic facts about Latin American development, so long absent in U.S. policy, is welcome. And while all kinds of pundits decry the lack of "leadership" in U.S. policy toward Latin America, in many ways this recognition is more valuable than creating grand plans to "lead" something.

1 comments:

Defensores de Democracia 4:04 PM  


The "flowery" photo album and VIDEOS of Vicepresident Joe Biden that the Furious Chavistas don't want you to see. Because they are anti-NATO, anti-Colombia, anti-USA


Mr Biden and his wife Jill ( married in 1977 ) and their two beautiful granddaughters Naomi and Maisy, some visits to Flower Farms for Exports in Colombia

http://www.politico.com/gallery/2013/05/biden-in-colombia/001056-014943.html

There are many VIDEOS in YouTube about Mr Biden looking Roses, Carnations and others in Colombia

Chavistas are mad because Colombia is approaching the USA in military matters and wants to share information and technology with NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Thousands of insults have rained on Colombia from Venezuela's High Officials and from the Client Nations that receive oil and money from Venezuela

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