Global Development: Views from the Center
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November 21, 2005
Brad Pitt Takes On Trade
Posted by Owen Barder at 11:21 AM
From the Washington Post today:
Hollywood's most desirable man spent Friday preparing for a new role: Brad Pitt, trade expert.
Pitt takes this business seriously. Black suit, black notebook. A profound, concentrated look. Impressively neat handwriting.Across the table, Steve Radelet from the Center for Global Development is running through the standard arguments on trade: comparative advantage, infant industry protection, import substitution. Pitt keeps writing it all down, looking like the journalism major he once was. Then he asks a question.
"If I could interrupt. . . . "Interrupt? Millions dream of being, ah, interrupted by this idol.
As the WaPo points out, trade policy is deeply complicated stuff. But if you keep in mind that the potential gains to poor countries from trade liberalization dwarf the total amount of aid they receive, you won't go far wrong.
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Comments
YOU GIVE SO FREELY TO 3RD WORLD COUNTRIES AND THAT IS FANTASTIC, BUT DO YOU REALIZE HOW MANY CHILDREN RIGHT HERE SLEEP IN BOXS, ABANDONED CARS AND OTHER DANGEROUS PLACES. THEY GO WITH OUT MEALS AND LEARN HOW TO STEAL, LIE AND DECEIVE AT AN EARLY AGE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO LEARN SURVIVAL SKILLS EARLY. IT IS NOT THESE CHILDRENS FAULT THAT THE ADULT IN THEIR LIVES HAVE NOT CARED FOR THEM. MY HEART AND MY OWN DOLLARS GO OUT TO THEM. WE AS A NATION DO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT STANDING BEHIND OUR OWN PEOPLE AND CREATE A STRONGER SOCIETY. BEFORE WE CAN POSSIBLY BE STONG ENOUGH AND SET A GOOD ENOUGH EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COUNTRIES AND NOT LOOK LIKE WE NEGLECT OUR OWN RESPONSIBITIES FOR HANDLING OTHER PEOPLES. IT IS YOUR MONEY AND INFLUENCE. JUST REMEMBER, FOR EVERY CHILD YOU SAVE IN A 3RD WORLD COUNTRY, THAT IS HOW MANY ARE IN NEED OF FOOD, SHELTER AND A HAVEN FROM THE STREET. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE OTHER COUNTRIES, JUST DON'T FOR GET WHERE YOU CAME FROM.
Posted by: GINA at November 30, 2005 11:51 AM