Backed by history’s lessons, President George W. Bush reiterated his strong support for free trade during the 2006 State of the Union address. He warned that the road of protectionism leads only to “danger and decline” for nations unwilling to compete, and he sought to define “an agenda for a nation that competes with confidence.” Since U.S. manufacturers and their employees have been among the most confident and successfully competitive on the planet for roughly 200 years, they are pleased to hear major policy questions defined in these terms.
