Trade-offs

by Susan Carol Schwab

At a time when managing in a global economy demands an understanding of - and often involvement in - the public policy debate about trade, a clear-headed, in-depth analysis of how the United States really makes trade policy is long overdue. In Trade-Offs, Susan C. Schwab fills the gap with an insider's account of the people, events, and institutions that shaped the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, one of the most significant trade laws of our time. Trade-Offs is a remarkable case study of "how Washington works," written by a trade-policy veteran uniquely qualified to be our guide. It also makes an important contribution to policy theory with its innovative conceptual framework for understanding U.S. trade legislation. The Omnibus Trade Act set the stage for NAFTA and the GATT talks and dictated the terms of their approval by Congress. It is also the law that ultimately triggered fundamental debates both on fast-track legislation and on Super 301 and its use of the U.S. ma