I was surprised to see trade came up as an issue

It was a debate primarily about economics, in Michigan. Why is free trade not a natural issue for that?

I'm sorry, about the economy -- not "economics".

On one level I agree with Huckabee - it's hard to see how some of our recent agreements count as FTAs. A legitimate FTA is one sentence: "My country will treat products produced overseas exactly the same as we treat products produced here." The IP-bullying of TRIPS, the countless lobbyist-induced exceptions, requirements on bank regulations, etc., are all not real trade. CAFTA, though important, was far, far away from a legitimate free trade agreement.

Cure is describing an MFN agreement, not a free trade agreement.

I do agree that the tendency to apply the label "free trade agreement" to agreements intended merely to liberalize trade can create misleading impressions of what such agreements actually do.

Curiously, no one really addressed the 7 year recession in Michigan, which was the reason for being in Michigan, as has been pointed out.

Oh yeah, cut taxes and blah, blah....

The GOP probably cannot win the presidency without taking either Michigan or Ohio, and both economies are still tanking (Ohio is a fraction of a percentage point out of recession now).

Even the Wall Street Journal now recognizes that the job market is hollowing and the labor force dividing to the two extremes (Wessel).

Like all sane people, I too want to beat Ron Paul about the head with a copy of M. Friedman's _Monetary History_ or J.M. Keynes's _General Theory_.

On the other hand, if Ron Paul had been President, we wouldn't have gotten into this catastrophic war which you, Dr. Drezner, supported. Since this war is going to cost over $1 trillion (say it Dr. Evil style for full effect) and has also diminished our security, prestige, moral standing, and military readiness, I'd say it is a bigger deal than Rep. Paul's idiotic ideas about fiat money.

After Ron Paul ends the War on Drugs, I'm going to make my (gold) income by selling abundant quantities of opium and marijuana, while using the rest to put me out of the misery I feel when read, I dunno, Immanuel Wallerstein.

Ohio's economy is tanking? The GDP of the state of Ohio is equal to the continent of Australia. Don't tell the people of Delaware county or Columbus their economy is tanking--it's only the fastest growing urband and suburban area in the entire US. Michigan's economy is not tanking either. Those who have relied on gov't handouts and UAW security blankets are having a tough time, but the rest of us are doing quite well here in the state of Great Lakes & Great Times. And yes, Rusty, the state gov't was completely wrong to let the money run out in the first place and then add a bunch of new taxes to "save" us. Where's Dick Hedley when you need him?