In this episode of Dollar & Sense, David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at Brookings, joins David Dollar as they offer their reactions to this week’s primary debates and unpack the trade policies of the Democratic candidates running for president. Wessel and Dollar describe how Democrats’ positions compare to President Trump’s trade policies, with a focus on Senators Warren and Sanders. 

They also discuss whether embracing free trade or protectionist policies will be more politically viable, the effect President Trump’s tariffs have had on the U.S. economy, and the Federal Reserve’s recent decision to cut interest rates for the first time in over ten years.

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