Let my people go

Digging ourselves out of the current economic crisis will require more than injecting capital into banks, and more than overhauling the financial regulatory system. Both are necessary, to be sure, but we should take the opportunity to negotiate sustainable improvements to global trade regulations that would free the flow of not only goods, but human capital.

The current economic downturn has revived calls for economic protectionism, despite the proven benefits of global trade. The $787 billion economic stimulus bill signed by President Obama last week contains a "buy America" provision requiring federal stimulus money to favor domestic suppliers, regardless of their ability to provide the best products and services at a competitive price, and threatening to set off a chain reaction whereby countries across the globe pass similar protectionist regulations, thereby threatening our ability to do business in the global market.

Cooler heads prevailed, thankfully, and the provision was qualified with language such that the regulation be "applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements." If there is ever a time to revert of economic isolationism, a global financial crisis is certainly not it.

Unfortunately, we still seem to be looking in the wrong direction in one area of global trade. The Wall Street Journal reported last weekend that the stimulus bill imposes disincentives for companies to hire foreign workers. This is a move in the wrong direction.

Instead of placing obstacles in the way of US firms hiring international workers, we should be using the incentive of increased numbers of H1-B visas to arrange agreements with other nations to ease restrictions on American workers coming to their countries, creating a smoother and more regular flow of people across the globe. Freeing the flow of human capital promises significant economic and national security advantages as well.

Economic Advantages

• Broadens the pool of available talent for struggling companies.


• Increases productivity by increasing competition for top jobs.


• Broadens the pool of economic opportunities available to American workers.


• Increases number of young workers in the US, reducing the strain of future entitlement spending as the native population ages.

National Security Advantages

• Increases number of foreign workers in the US, resulting in an increase in financial and cultural remittances to foreign countries and strengthening ties between the US and the world.


• Offers a rational solution to undocumented immigration from the South.


• Increased the number of Americans working abroad, creating bonds of friendship and cultural respect that improve America's image abroad.

These are but of few of the potential advantages for improving global economics and security. Global trade liberalization has seen millions of people across the world lifted out of poverty. It has resulted in better living conditions, and better health care across the world. But for too long we've focused solely on increasing the freedom of movement for goods, keeping the most valuable resource nations produce chained down.

It's time for the workers of the world to break their chains and move freely through the global marketplace, creating a more prosperous and secure world for all.

Planes Trains and Automobiles

A few weeks ago, my brother took the train down from Syracuse for a professional networking event in the District. As he was traveling, I sent him an SMS saying that "Train is by far the most civilized form of transport." He replied, "Because it's slow and expensive?" Touché.

It's an unfortunate fact that rail transport in the US is far less efficient than it is compared to other places, Europe in particular. For all the complaints we hear about train schedules overseas, our European cousins have nothing on Amtrak. And for anyone who finds this an argument for car commuting, I say enjoy your stay on I-66 in Virginia, Loop 610 in Houston, or any number of fantastic examples of the wonders of American car culture.

Today's Wall Street Journal includes an interesting look at the effect of the stimulus bill on Amtrak, and the main obstacle to an efficient nationwide passenger rail system in the US - lack of infrastructure.

But as long as most Amtrak trains run on crowded freight-rail tracks, the U.S. will remain far from building a European-style network of bullet trains. Amtrak's swiftest offering, the Washington-to-Boston Acela service, briefly hits a top speed of 150 miles per hour but averages only 62 mph between New York and Boston. Many of its trains get bogged down on lines that are owned and operated by freight railroads. By contrast, the 190-mile Brussels-to-Paris trip averages about 140 mph.

"We're not Europe," Mr. Boardman said. "We have a huge and world-renowned freight rail system in this country, and that's where we run most of the miles we run on Amtrak."

The intentional creation of the interstate highway system in the US propelled America forward both culturally and economically. Opening interstate transportation dramatically allowed goods and labor to flow more efficiently, reducing costs and increasing productivity. It also allowed people to move around and experience more of the cultural diversity in their country.

But as efficient as we are, there are significant improvements that could be made. A key investment should be the creation of infrastructure to support a national passenger rail system. That Texans can't easily take a train from Houston to Austin is simply ridiculous. And that is costs as much or more to take the train from DC to New York as it does to fly points to serious problems in efficiency.

If we're going to be throwing around trillions of dollars to stimulate the economy, we would be wise to invest that money in sound projects that have proven returns on investment. National passenger rail service is one of those.

A well run rail service with adequate infrastructure would be faster than driving, more comfortable than flying, and provide more efficient transportation of human capital in a time when we need to be finding ways to make sustainable improvements to our economy that will keep us competitive in the global market.

Besides, it's just more civilized.

David Brooks may dream of Denver, but I dream of Leiden.

Those were the days

Christmas 1975: Francisco Macías Nguema, President of Equatorial Guinea, had 150 alleged coup plotters executed to the sound of a band playing Mary Hopkin's tune Those Were the Days in a national stadium.