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One eternal element of the debate on trade policy is blame. Bad things are happening in our economy. Is trade responsible for them? Trade skeptics say “yes”—trade promotes a race to the bottom. Free traders say “no”—trade is a scapegoat for a lot of other things that are going on. Of course, where you place blame begins with what you think is wrong. It is probably not correct to blame trade for climate change, though no doubt some have tried. Likewise, it is safe to conclude that trade did not cause our problems with Iran, nor will trade cure them.

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