For those of you not tracking the long and boring NAFTA re-negotiations, the United States, Mexico and Canada decided to do away with free trade.

They did arrive at a trade agreement which was renamed the U.S. , Mexico, Canada Agreement (USMCA) at the request (or perhaps insistance) of the U.S.

The removal of “free trade “ and from the title was quite appropriate.  Although still about trade it is focused on rules and restrictions, not free exchange of goods.

All about me

From the start of negotiations the U.S., through it’s stalwart spokeperson Donald Trump, declared the objective was to get the U.S. what they wanted.

The win-win negotiation principal arising from research at the Harvard business school, was disregarded.  

Historic results have shown this approach is typically not sustainable and while it does provide some immediate satisfaction ultimately things will turn out badly.

Already, cracks

It is probably precipitous to say the current stock market sell off is due to the U.S. trade stance, however anticipation of the impact on the world wide economy is surely a factor.

The problem with the my way or highway approach is it only works when backed by power.  The bully’s approach only works as long as the opponents give in. 

With any luck the coming U.S. mid-term elections will change the political power structure and sanity will return.  At least one can hope.