Buy American And European Too

Buy American and we won't, says the European Union.

The economic stimulus bill under debate in the U.S. Senate contains a provision to buy American when it comes to steel and other products needed to stimulate the economy. The EU is not pleased, and there's rumblings.

Peter Power, the EU trade spokesman, has said in a most polite way that if the provision passes, the World Trade Organization will get an earful from his side.

It's considered protectionist, to not have free trade, and making it illegal to buy a foreign product violates all kinds of treaties to which the U.S. is a signatory. For the folks at home, of course, it sounds grand. We're stimulating the economy and we're only using our own steel made by our own workers who'll have jobs because the government is buying their products which no one else bought because they could be had cheaper elsewhere, the elected reps will say. To which the EU will cry foul.

Sometimes when you set out with good intentions, you end up paving a road to hell. In these hard times, however, paving a road to anywhere has a certain appeal to those who think what's never worked before will miraculously work this time around.