President Trump Must Make Sure Foreign Governments Play by the Rules
One industry, which is indispensable to our economy, is a prime example – the airline industry. Its importance was born on a windy day in December, 1903, when Americans made the dream of flight a reality. Orville and Wilbur Wright launched the first powered, fixed-wing aircraft. For twelve seconds and 120 feet, Orville Wright made history.
Today, more than 10 million jobs are reliant on the airline industry in the United States of America. The airline industry helps drive $1.5 trillion in economic activity. It is, truly, a cornerstone of American innovation and industriousness, but it is facing a threat.
Some nations now seek to game the open skies agreements and create an unfair advantage, putting the burgeoning U.S. airlines industry at risk – and potentially costing us hundreds of thousands of jobs. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are – in essence – plowing billions of dollars in government subsidies into their state-owned airlines, pushing out their competition in an aggressive scheme to corner the airline market.
The actions of Qatar and the UAE were not market driven, there was no new demand for more routes. Their expansion was simply a venture backed by foreign governments to damage and push out U.S. based domestic airlines. The subsidization, and violation of free and fair trade, by the governments of Qatar and the UAE is a prime example of what President Trump has spoken so firmly against – American companies being fleeced by foreign actors who do not seek to engage in free and fair trade, but rather take advantage of our goodwill for their own motives.
Gulf-state owned airlines like Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways have stimulated no new demand in U.S. markets. Their intent is to draw away passengers from other airlines, but again, not through fair competition. With billions in subsidies at their back, they can dominate the market – not to compete in a fair and open manner.
As President Trump boldly stated before Congress: “The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that the "abandonment of the protective policy by the American Government [will] produce want and ruin among our people."
“Lincoln was right -- and it is time we heeded his words. I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore.”
The United States of America, along with Gulf states like Qatar and the UAE, are partner to over 120 Open Skies agreements. To engage in international commerce, nations must agree to fair and civilized rules. We have upheld our end of the bargain. The Gulf states have not. Qatar and the UAE have poured over $50 billion in subsidies into their airlines – at the expense of our companies and jobs for American workers.
President Trump has promised to make America a proud nation once again, to stand up for American jobs and workers. Pushing back against Qatar and the UAE, two nations who have chosen to cheat markets and violate their agreements – which the Obama administration never did - would be a good start to standing up for America’s interests once again.
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Ken Blackwell (@kenblackwell) is a former ambassador to the U.N., a former Domestic Policy Advisor to the Trump Presidential Transition Team, and former Ohio State Treasurer and mayor of Cincinnati who currently serves on the board of numerous conservative policy organizations. He is a contributing author to the ARRA News Service.
Tags: Ken Blackwell, President Trump, Make Sure, Foreign Governments, Play by the Rules, free trade. fair trade, airline industry, Qatar, UAE, violate agreements To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
Posted by Bill Smith at 9:10 AM - Post Link
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