"geoff merryweather" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 05:14:11 GMT, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


If it makes you happy, call it protectionism. Most people would say it's
protectionism only if it limits imports in some way. Offsets don't limit
imports. They just require an equal amount of imports at the other end.
Sounds good - so when is the US going to take more New Zealand
imports?

I'm glad it sounds good to you, Geoff, because New Zealand currently is
US$468 million in the hole. g In other words, in 2002 you ran a positive
trade balance with the US of $468 million. You have a lot of buying to do
before you catch up.

When are they going to stop tarrifs and limits on sheep meat
from Australia and new Zealand - as ordered by the WTO 3 times? For
the average US citizen, sheep are wooly animals that damn few
americans know about, or grow, but they have some powerful friends in
Congress. Offsets sound good to me - of course it goes both ways...

When you buy $468 million's worth of US goods or services, we'll be in
balance. Then we can talk about your sheep.

The US is one of the most protected markets in the world
Geoff

Yeah. That's why we run a $460 BILLION trade deficit...

Get real, Geoff. NZ is an old-time mercantilist country that wants it all
their way. You run a US$468 million positive trade balance with the US and
then you complain about US protectionism.

What kind of sheep baloney are they feeding you down there? g

--
Ed Huntress
(remove "3" from email address for email reply)