The CPA is Washington’s leading organization fighting for a new trade policy to deliver balanced trade, restored health for American industries, broadly-shared economic growth, and more jobs for American workers. Learn about the key trade issues impacting the US economy that must be solved. Research by CPA staff takes a deeper look at these issues and which policy changes can lead to dramatic improvement.
CPA Research
Trade Enforcement
SolarWorld Plans Solar Cell Production Ramp-Up, Hiring 300
March 11, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
SolarWorld Americas is ramping production of solar cells at its Hillsboro, Oregon facility.
US Notches Dismal Productivity Performance in 2017
March 06, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
The productivity figures for the US economy in 2017, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) last month, show the US economy continuing to underperform on productivity growth, one of the most important metrics for the long-term health of the economy.
World Steel Market By The Numbers
February 28, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director The pundits who declare ominously that we are on the brink of a trade war have it wrong. In fact, we are in the midst of a war for domination of the world steel market. And as a quick look at the numbers makes...
Why We Need Tariffs on Steel
February 28, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
The Department of Commerce report on steel imports and national security asks Americans a fundamental question:
Competitiveness Strategy
How Facebook Can Help Rebuild US Manufacturing
February 21, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
In a highly polarized nation, Facebook has accomplished the amazing achievement of getting itself intensely disliked by both right and left.
Solar Industry Gears Up For More US Production As Tariffs Take Effect
February 15, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director Safeguard tariffs imposed by President Trump on imported solar cells and panels have been in effect for just over a week, but already we’re seeing moves to boost US solar production in response. No fewer than nine solar manufacturing companies are planning to launch...
Why The Business Roundtable NAFTA Study is Wrong
February 14, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director Business Roundtable (BR) and others have published economic forecasts that purport to show that the US withdrawing from or substantially modifying NAFTA would lead to US losses in GDP and jobs. We analyze the BR study and show that it is essentially a biased...
Currency Misalignment
A Rising Dollar Yields a Rising Trade Deficit
February 13, 2018
By John R. Hansen, Advisory Board, Coalition for a Prosperous America Yogi Berra once said, “It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” That’s undoubtedly true in the complicated world of global trade. But a look at America’s trade flows—and growing trade deficit— clearly indicates that a “strong dollar” has been a...
Five Reasons Why the Big 2017 Trade Deficit Affects You
February 06, 2018
by Michael Stumo, CEO of CPA
The big news this week is that the annual US trade deficit increased in 2017 by 12% over 2016. Here are five reasons you should care.
Full-Year 2017 Trade Deficit Holds Back GDP Growth
February 06, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
The US trade deficit last year surged 12.1%, rising at three times the rate of nominal GDP growth, hampering US economic performance, employment levels, and incomes.
The Beltway Squabbles Over America’s Overvalued Dollar
February 05, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
It may have been obscured by the looming State of the Union address, but there was quite a kerfuffle in Washington recently.
CPA on USA Today: Trade predators destroy U.S. jobs
January 30, 2018
For too long, America has been led by a naive embrace of free trade that overlooks the predatory behavior of our trade competitors. Widespread trade cheating and poorly designed trade deals have led to persistent U.S. trade deficits causing job losses, manufacturing decline and income stagnation. [Michael Stumo | January...
Revenue Gains From Sales Factor Apportionment Corp Income Tax
January 30, 2018
"Reprinted from Tax Notes, November 27, 2017” By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director The U.S. corporate income tax system is failing to deliver for the government and taxpayers. Receipts are falling steadily as a share of corporate profits as corporations exploit loopholes to shift profit out of the reach...
America’s Monetary Policy Needs a Major Overhaul
January 29, 2018
Tinkering with Interest Rates Will Not Make America’s Economy Great Again! By John R. Hansen, CPA Advisory Board In his New York Times article on January 9 (As Economy Strengthens, Fed Ponders New Approach), Mr. Appelbaum notes the rising dissatisfaction both outside and inside the Federal Reserve with America’s current monetary...
How To Make China Pay For US Solar Industry Expansion
January 22, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
Later this month, President Trump faces one of the biggest trade decisions of his presidency.
Why China Likely Won’t Buy Fewer U.S. Treasury Bonds
January 15, 2018
Editor's Note: While the CPA Research section of our website is generally reserved for CPA’s original research and analysis, we are cross posting this outside article due to its importance to understanding the dynamics of trade and capital flows. The furor over recent comments by Chinese officials that they may...
Poll Shows Growing Public Opposition to NAFTA
January 10, 2018
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
An independent public opinion poll published late last year shows growing public awareness of US job loss due to imports, as well as growing public support of the view that NAFTA has been bad for the US.
Trade Deficit Up 3% in November As Full-Year Deficit Heads For $554B
January 05, 2018
By Jason Cooper, CPA Research Assistant The US trade deficit rose another 3.3% to reach $50.5 billion in November 2017, up $1.6 billion from the $48.9 billion in October, a level not seen since January 2012. The goods deficit is on track to be one of the highest on record....
US Agriculture Has Failed To Benefit From Korean Free Trade Agreement: Time For a New Approach
December 18, 2017
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
A major reason the US Congress and Obama administration approved the KORUS free trade agreement with South Korea in 2011 was the expected benefits to US agricultural exports.
Trade Deficit Up 11% in October As Imports Hit All-Time Record: Full-Year Deficit Heading For $560B
December 13, 2017
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
The US trade deficit rose another 8.6% in October to reach $48.7 billion as imports in the month hit $244.6B, an all-time record for imports in a single month.
