In a Funk Over Trade

Here's a letter to the Baltimore Sun:

Arguing that trade with foreigners helps foreigners and harms Americans, Alfred Funk asks "Today I am wearing my Indonesian shirt and my pants from China.  Do we really need an economist to tell us what's happening in our country?" (Letters, August 16).  I humbly submit that the answer is yes.  Contrary to Mr. Funk's allegation, when we Americans trade with foreigners we help not only the foreigners with whom we trade, we help also ourselves.

For evidence...