Thus he followed the grooves set by both Democratic and Republican predecessors, who have consistently embraced crowd-pleasing "buy American" stances that make economists groan. "Counter-productive," cautioned Melissa Kearney, a University of Maryland professor who favors much of Biden's economic agenda. Biden acted to strengthen the nearly-a-century-old Buy American Act, whose provenance alone hints at shaky economic foundations. Former President Barack Obama incorporated Buy American provisions into his 2009 stimulus plan in response to the Great Recession. As Biden seeks to recapture the allegiance of some Trump-friendly blue-collar workers, Buy American policies fare "extremely well" among voters, observed Democratic pollster Mark Mellman.

Source: CNN August 01, 2021 11:03 UTC