Lies, damn lies, statistics, and Washington Post statistics:

The Post writes a pro-NAFTA editorial. Remember, NAFTA went into effect in 1994.

... the impact of NAFTA seems to have been both larger and more positive in Mexico than in the United States. Mexico's gross domestic product, now more than $875 billion, has more than quadrupled since 1987.

As Dean Baker points out, the Post is using nominal (instead of inflation-adjusted figures) which isn't a proper measure of growth. But how about the audacity of justifying a 14 year old program based on 20 years of data?

In reality, there is nothing new here. The Post supports programs that business wants. Concern for the average worker (e.g. with programs like Social Security) are ignored for the most part.


posted by Quiddity at 12/04/2007 06:54:00 PM