Obama’s Jobs Rhetoric

Since we’re on the subject of Barack Obama’s economic nationalism, here’s a radio ad airing in Wisconsin in which he suggests John McCain has a treasonous desire to ship American jobs off to nasty, grasping foreigners. You can listen to it here. (Text of the ad is also after the jump).It’s all part of some “Buy American” strategy to be pursued in Pennsylvania and the midwest. Great. 

Now, sure, some of this is just campaign rhetoric. But when Obama stokes protectionist fires, when he characterises trading partners as the enemy, when he suggests that there’s something wrong or illegitimate with foreign companies owning properties in the United States he not only makes it harder for US companies seeking to expand overseas, he goes some way towards making a mockery of his desire for a fresh and better relationship with the rest of the world.

In this he seems every bit as myopic as the Bush administration which seemed to expect the rest of the world not to notice, say, the administration’s illegal steel tariffs.