2018年CRI U.S. economist: Trump should be proud of trade deficit

 

Don Boudreaux, US economist¹ at George Mason University in Virginia explained that a trade deficit² is actually a good thing for the country, and that US tariffs³ eventually hurt Americans in the end.

“Trump⁴ administration should be proud of trade deficit, rather than ashamed of it and try to prevent it,” he told CGTN, adding that trade deficit is a symptom of success.

Earlier, the economist signed an open letter to US President Donald Trump along with more than 1,100 other economists⁵, calling his tariffs policy a mistake. 

“Hopefully not only people in the administration, but whoever read the letter can be better instructed about the basic principle of economics, that is, trade makes us richer…not because we export…but we import,” he said to CGTN.

“All potential countries which can invest, they say ‘America is a good place to invest, let's invest in America.’ In order to invest in America, foreigners need dollars. To accumulate those dollars, they buy fewer American exports, that caused our trade deficit,” the economist explained.

“But dollars don’t stayed abroad…they come back to America as investment. Why should we be upset if foreigners want to invest here? We should be pleased, we should be proud. Moreover, that investment helps our economy,” he added.

“[Trade tariffs] do hurt foreigners too, but they ultimately are paid for in large part by Americans,” he said.

1 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

2 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

3 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》