Why Obama Must Speak On China



(image via army)

Senator Barack Obama is breaking out heart. If ever there was a demographic tailor-made for a serious discussion of our China policy it is probably Indiana, and the time is probably now. With regards to trade deficits, food safety, curency and job outsourcing, China is a country with an inordinate amount of importance to Indiana, an industrial-agricultural state. A moderate protectionism -- which the Hillary Clinton campaign seems, already to be championing ferociously -- is an effective strategy, appealing to Jacksonian (read: Reagan) Democrats. Pure, free-market capitalism is a religion best left to the slightly disturbed but precocious Ayn Rand set; in today's global economy, if implemented, it would decimate the American heartland. Our crumbling public education system would automatically put America at a disadvantage. Even the ultra-conservative Catholic Church questions pure free-market capitalism (As all serious, well-educated individuals should).

Alas, the ethereal Obama campaign, quagmired in the Wright spectacle, remains alarmingly silent on the subject of China, which could not inconceivably be a primary dealbreaker. Ask yourselves honestly: Which candidate would you rather face down the mandarins of Beijing, Hillary or Obama. The answer -- right now -- would have to be Senator Hillary Clinton. And if that answer prevails on Tuesday, Hillary will win the Hoosier State primary and the slow-dripping spigot of superdelegates flowing from Clinton to the Obama camp will abruptly cease.

Today Obama made a tepid statement on his China policy. Unfortunately it was cancelled out by Senator Clinton's position, which mirrors his. Still, from Reuters:

"Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Thursday he supported a Senate bill to offset China's 'currency manipulation,' one day after his rival Hillary Clinton added her name to the list of legislation's co-sponsors.

"'The Bush administration has failed to act on China's currency manipulation,' Obama said in a statement endorsing legislation proposed by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, and Sen. Jim Bunning, a Kentucky Republican.

"'This is unacceptable and allows China to continue inaccurately valuing its goods in a manner that mirrors a subsidy,' Obama said."

We cannot stress how important it is for Obama to roll up his shirt-sleeves, take off his tie, and get out ahead of Clinton on the subject of China. An Obama strong on U.S.-China trade policy could do miracles in restoring his image among the white working class Democrats he is trying to court. Obama's rhetoric must be earthy, not ethereal, and it ought to tread the thin line between aggressive and overly-provocative against the Chinese government as he is a sitting Senator. There is, though, a lot of maneuvering room there that Big Labor and the Pat Buchanan crowd would like to see addressed.

Obama is also viewed as somewhat elite, intellectual and somewhat effete a la Adlai Stevenson and George McGovern. That is a no-no to blue collar voters. We can think of no better way to send that mistaken impression to the dustbin of history than to take on the Chinese -- and the Clinton machine -- while barnstorming Hoosier country.