American Compass Releases Major New Collection on U.S. Trade Policy

American Compass today released “On Balance,” a comprehensive collection of essays by policy advisor Mark A. DiPlacido offering a new framework for American trade policy. The collection argues that decades of free trade orthodoxy have produced persistent trade and capital imbalances that have eroded fiscal stability, weakened economic security, and reduced prosperity for working Americans. In place of indiscriminate free trade, DiPlacido proposes a new guiding principle: balance.

The collection traces both how American trade policy came to be captured by free trade dogma and what a better approach would require—from reforming international monetary policy to achieve a fairly valued dollar, to building a new coalition of market-oriented nations committed to reciprocal trade relationships. Together, the essays make the case that the United States must move beyond “neutral” rules and toward a trade posture that delivers balanced outcomes.

The collection includes four essays:

• Ideology Over Interest examines how American trade policy was captured by free trade dogma, prioritizing ideological commitments over national economic interests.
• The Dollar Dilemma argues that balanced trade is impossible without a fairly valued dollar and proposes a better approach to international monetary policy.
• Shifting Out of Neutral makes the case that American fiscal stability, economic security, and widespread prosperity require abandoning a “neutral” rules-based posture in favor of one premised on balanced outcomes.
• A Results-Based Order outlines how the United States can lead a new bloc of market-oriented nations committed to balanced trade.
• Plus, the Appendix provides a comprehensive, accessible guide to trade barriers and market distortions.

Click here to read the full collection.