People talk a great deal about free trade. But for better or for worse the real world that we live in is more a mercantilist world than it is a free markets and free trade world.

Let's take a look at a speech recently given by Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council. It's a good metric of whether the administration "gets it" on manufacturing, and gives a fairly clear picture of the evolution of its thinking.

Tough decisions are needed on where to spend limited resources to pursue border management reform. To this end, a well defined business case -- weighing costs and benefits -- needs to be prepared.

Bringing democratic reform to Russia will require concerted effort by the United States, our allies, NGOs, and the Russian people. Opening Russia's market under WTO rules can play a useful role in this effort.

U.S. trade policy needs to be based on what is good for the U.S. economy and U.S. job growth. And Congress needs to recognize that in an ever more globalized world, using trade as a political instrument to fight yesterday's wars is at best self defeating.

Trade policies are not a sexy business. Customs, anti-dumping, subsidies are just some of the concepts international investors are trying to avoid. Yet, recent weeks reminded all of us that trade can make headlines.

We have to reverse the corporate/conservative, anti-government, pro-1% policies that started about 35 years ago.

Democrats have to be perceived as actually fighting for the interests of the 99%. The way to be perceived as doing this is to actually do it

Rather than protect American jobs, punitive duties will make products more expensive to American consumers and companies.