CSE urges support for expanding the e-conomy

Contact your representative to urge support for permanent normal trade with China.

We need to unleash the full potential of America’s high-tech economy by breaking down obsolete government barriers to competition and innovation. Permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with China would give American technology products an edge in the world’s biggest market — and Congress needs to hear your voice.

“Imagine if the Internet takes hold in China. Just imagine what the great outpouring of freedom would be.” ¯ George W. Bush on CNN January 16, 2000

Last weekend, CSE attended a town hall meeting held by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) to urge his support for PNTR. Rep. Smith told the audicience, “what I am saying is that I have not yet come to a decision on whether or not to support Permanent Normal Trade relations with China.” There are good reasons for Rep. Smith and all of his colleagues to support normal trade with China — and Rep. Smith and others need to hear the reasons:

CSE activist urges Rep. Lamar Smith to support PNTR

The $600 billion high-tech economy represents close to one-half of our nation’s economic growth. The technology industry is the country’s largest exporter. Within the next six years, nearly half of the American workforce will be employed by high-tech or high-tech-related industries, and the majority of all U.S. businesses will be selling their products and services online.

However, the expansion of our new economy is directly dependent upon our ability to sell our goods and services to the other 96 percent of the world’s population. With more than one billion people, China is the biggest market for our high-tech and high-tech-related products.

By passing PNTR with China, Congress has the opportunity to remove major economic barriers and give American workers, farmers, and businesses access to a market of more than 1 billion people eager to consume America’s products, services, and ideals.

Government bureaucrats are locking consumers into yesterday’s technologies with Stone Age regulations and policies. Americans enjoy freedoms that are envied and emulated around the world. But when we try to sell the products of our labor to consumers in other countries, or purchase products made outside of the United States, government trade policy limits our freedom and does nothing to increase liberty for the citizens of the world. No longer does the high-tech economy refer to just computers. Recent technology investments by every sector of America’s economy – from farmers to Fortune 100 companies – have cut costs, improved quality and increased affordability. Limited access to Chinese markets equals limited economic and social growth for everyone. As our economy becomes increasingly global, the American government needs to be breaking down existing barriers to the free exchange of goods and ideas, not erecting new ones.