Robert E. Scott
Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Research
Areas of expertise
International economics • Trade agreements • Global finance • Economic impacts of foreign investment and “insourcing” • Industry studies
Biography
Dr. Scott joined the Economic Policy Institute as an international economist in 1996. Before that, he was an assistant professor with the College of Business and Management of the University of Maryland at College Park. His areas of research include international economics and trade agreements and their impacts on working people in the U.S. and other countries, the economic impacts of foreign investment, and the macroeconomic effects of trade and capital flows. His research has been published in The Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, The International Review of Applied Economics, and The Stanford Law and Policy Review, and he has written editorial pieces for The Los Angeles Times, Newsday, USA Today, The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Times, and other newspapers.
Education
Ph.D. Economics, University of California at Berkeley, 1989
B.S. Engineering, Washington University (St. Louis), 1975
Publications by Robert E. Scott
Blog
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March 29, 2013 | Kerry drinks the trade Kool-Aid, but trade agreements do NOT create jobs
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March 14, 2013 | Is Japan really ready for free trade?
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Feb. 21, 2013 | Obama and Abe should address currency manipulation and Japanese trade barriers
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Feb. 13, 2013 | Signing trade deals is a terrible jobs strategy
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Feb. 11, 2013 | The president can end currency manipulation with the stroke of a pen, halving the U.S. trade deficit and creating millions of jobs
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Oct. 31, 2012 | Heritage Foundation’s view on China trade and jobs is like old wine that’s aged badly
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Oct. 24, 2012 | More reasons why China’s currency should remain a live issue
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Oct. 1, 2012 | Barry Commoner, visionary environmentalist, teacher and activist dies at 95
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July 6, 2012 | Obama gets tough on China’s unfair tariffs on U.S. auto exports
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June 27, 2012 | U.S. net debt hits $4 trillion in 2011—the cumulative toll of a generation of trade deficits
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April 10, 2012 | Memo to the Times: Hold the funeral march for U.S. manufacturing
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April 2, 2012 | Who’s guarding Apple’s Foxconn chicken coop?
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March 15, 2012 | China continues to lean against the wind on need for currency revaluation
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March 14, 2012 | U.S. sends the right message with WTO complaint on China’s illegal restrictions on rare earth exports
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March 13, 2012 | The myth of the rich, hungry Chinese consumer
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Feb. 14, 2012 | Exports and growth: Running harder and falling behind
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Feb. 13, 2012 | China responsible for bulk of the U.S. trade deficit in non-oil manufactured goods
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Jan. 25, 2012 | State of the Union: Manufacturing a Better Future
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Oct. 27, 2011 | Return to profitability, new UAW contract reflect the benefits of auto industry’s restructuring
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Oct. 19, 2011 | How not to make globalization work for America’s workers: A tale of two trade deals
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Oct. 11, 2011 | Cato on China trade: Looking glass economics
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Oct. 7, 2011 | Could currency legislation lead to a trade war? Think again
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Oct. 6, 2011 | China’s People’s Bank: The lady doth protest too much
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Oct. 3, 2011 | China’s currency manipulation reached record level in June 2011
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Sept. 15, 2011 | Millions of jobs left on the table
Report
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Feb. 7, 2013 | Reducing U.S. trade deficits will generate a manufacturing-based recovery for the United States and Ohio: Ending currency manipulation by China and others is the place to start
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Aug. 23, 2012 | The China toll: Growing U.S. trade deficit with China cost more than 2.7 million jobs between 2001 and 2011, with job losses in every state
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Jan. 31, 2012 | Jobs in the U.S. auto parts industry are at risk due to subsidized and unfairly traded Chinese auto parts
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Sept. 20, 2011 | Growing U.S. trade deficit with China cost 2.8 million jobs between 2001 and 2010
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June 17, 2011 | Revaluing China’s currency could boost US economic recovery
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May 3, 2011 | Heading South: U.S.-Mexico trade and job displacement after NAFTA
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Nov. 18, 2010 | Huge Return on Taxpayer Investment
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Oct. 18, 2010 | China’s Subsidies to Green Industries Lead to Growing Trade Deficits in Clean Energy Products
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Sept. 20, 2010 | Rising China Trade Deficit Will Cost One-Half Million U.S. Jobs in 2010
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April 29, 2010 | Currency Manipulation—History Shows That Sanctions Are Needed
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March 23, 2010 | Unfair China Trade Costs Local Jobs
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Feb. 25, 2010 | Trade policy and job loss
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Dec. 31, 2009 | Restoring the U.S. trade balance—How lessons from emissions trading can inform the Buffett proposal
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Dec. 31, 2009 | Re-Balancing U.S. Trade and Capital Accounts
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Oct. 1, 2009 | Climate Change Policy—Border Adjustment Key to U.S. Trade and Manufacturing Jobs
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April 8, 2009 | Invest in America: Essential policies needed to secure U.S. jobs in the auto industry
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Dec. 3, 2008 | When giants fall: Shutdown of one or more U.S. carmakers could eliminate up to 3.3 million U.S. jobs
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Nov. 14, 2008 | An investment, not a bailout: The $25 billion rescue loan being considered for automakers would help maintain an essential industry, along with 3 million critically-needed jobs
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Oct. 2, 2008 | The burden of outsourcing
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July 30, 2008 | The China trade toll: Widespread wage suppression, 2 million jobs lost in the U.S.
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June 4, 2008 | Bailing out on America: Air Force tanker decision will ground at least 14,000 U.S. jobs
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March 3, 2008 | The importance of manufacturing: Key to recovery in the states and the nation
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Aug. 23, 2007 | The Hidden Costs of Insourcing: Higher Trade Deficits and Job Losses for U.S. Workers
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June 25, 2007 | The Wal-Mart effect: Its Chinese imports have displaced nearly 200,000 U.S. jobs
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May 1, 2007 | Costly Trade With China: Millions of U.S. jobs displaced with net job loss in every state
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Sept. 28, 2006 | Revisiting NAFTA: Still not working for North America’s workers
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Sept. 25, 2006 | China Manipulates Its Currency—A Response is Needed
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July 20, 2005 | NAFTA’s cautionary tale: Recent history suggests CAFTA could lead to further U.S. job displacement
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June 1, 2005 | Will CAFTA be a boon to farmers and the food industry? NAFTA’s failed promises doomed to be repeated
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Jan. 11, 2005 | U.S.-China trade, 1989-2003: Impact on jobs and industries, nationally and state-by-state
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April 1, 2004 | Distorting the record: NAFTA’s promoters play fast and loose with facts
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Nov. 17, 2003 | The high price of ‘free’ trade: NAFTA’s failure has cost the United States jobs across the nation
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Oct. 1, 2002 | Phony accounting and U.S. trade policy | EPI
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Oct. 1, 2001 | Where the jobs aren’t: Particular industries and states bear brunt of dislocations wrought by trade
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Oct. 1, 2001 | Fast Track to Lost Jobs
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Oct. 1, 2001 | The unremarkable record of liberalized trade: After 20 years of global economic deregulation, poverty and inequality are as pervasive as ever
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Sept. 1, 2001 | Addressing the Nation’s Needs: A Plan for Emergency Relief and Economic Stimulus
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Sept. 1, 2001 | Trading Away U.S. Farms: ‘Fast Track’ Will Exacerbate Problems With U.S. Trade and Agricultural Poli
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July 19, 2001 | NAFTA at Seven
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June 6, 2001 | NAFTA at Seven
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April 26, 2001 | NAFTA at Seven
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April 10, 2001 | NAFTA’s Impact on the States
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March 31, 2001 | NAFTA at Seven: Its Impact On Workers In All Three Nations
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Jan. 1, 2001 | FED UP: The Federal Reserve must lower interest rates now to avoid a recession, rising unemployme
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May 1, 2000 | China and the States—Booming trade deficit with China will accelerate job destruction in next dec
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March 1, 2000 | Rebuilding the Caribbean: A Better Foundation for Sustainable Growth
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March 1, 2000 | The Facts About Trade and Job Creation
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Feb. 1, 2000 | The High Cost of the China-WTO Deal: Administration’s own analysis suggests spiraling deficits, job losses
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Nov. 1, 1999 | NAFTA’s Pain Deepens
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July 1, 1999 | Exported to Death: The failure of agricultural deregulation
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May 1, 1999 | China Can Wait: WTO accession deal must include enforceable labor rights, real commercial benefits
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March 24, 1999 | Rebuilding the Caribbean: A better foundation for sustainable growth
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June 1, 1998 | Cut U.S. Interest Rates Now: How to Support the Yen and Save U.S. Jobs at the Same Time
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Jan. 1, 1998 | American Jobs and the Asian Crisis: The employment impact of the coming rise in the U.S. trade deficit
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Oct. 1, 1997 | The Cost of Trade With China (EPI Issue Brief #122)
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Sept. 1, 1997 | NAFTA and the States—Job destruction is widespread (EPI Issue Brief #119)
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Sept. 1, 1997 | NAFTA’s Casualties—Employment effects on men, women, and minorities (EPI Issue Brief #120)
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March 1, 1996 | North American Trade After NAFTA
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June 1, 1993 | Trade Protection and Industrial Revitalization
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April 1, 1991 | Reconsidering the Benefits and Costs of Trade Protection: The Case of Textiles and Apparel
Economic snapshot
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March 7, 2013 | Rising trade deficits with Japan illustrate problem with proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership
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Oct. 12, 2011 | Trade deficit with Mexico has resulted in 682,900 U.S. jobs lost or displaced
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July 1, 2010 | Free Trade Agreement with Korea will cost U.S. jobs
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March 17, 2009 | Growing share of Big-Three vehicles assembled in Mexico
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Dec. 17, 2008 | Automaker bankruptcies would cost up to 3.3 million U.S. jobs
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Dec. 5, 2008 | African Americans are especially at risk in the auto crisis
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Oct. 1, 2008 | Non-oil trade deficit costs jobs in every state
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July 29, 2008 | China trade costs jobs in every state
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March 26, 2008 | Moving toward a sustainable dollar
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Feb. 12, 2008 | The importance of manufacturing
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Oct. 24, 2007 | China escalates dollar purchases to depress value of yuan
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June 26, 2007 | Wal-Mart’s reliance on Chinese imports costs U.S. jobs
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Feb. 21, 2007 | Manufacturing job loss: Productivity is not the culprit
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Feb. 7, 2007 | Trade deficits still rising in most industries despite strong export growth
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Oct. 4, 2006 | Broken promises: NAFTA cost U.S. jobs and reduced wages
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April 5, 2006 | ‘Insourcing’ is not creating jobs in the U.S. economy
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June 30, 2005 | Foreign liabilities are rapidly increasing, especially to foreign central banks
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June 17, 2005 | U.S. current account deficit continues to grow to record high
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June 7, 2005 | CAFTA outlook clouded by NAFTA’s failure for farmers
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Dec. 16, 2004 | Current account deficit likely to get worse before it improves
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Sept. 14, 2004 | Foreign governments finance a growing share of U.S. trade deficit
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June 30, 2004 | Rapid increase in foreign liabilities threatens U.S. recovery
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April 19, 2004 | On balance, Japan’s so-called ‘lost decade’ not so bad
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April 6, 2004 | ‘Insourcing’ myths: Jobs and insourcing
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March 29, 2004 | Soaring increase in high-tech exports from China erodes U.S. employment – EPI Snapshots
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March 24, 2004 | Foreign government intervention keeps the value of the dollar artificially high
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Jan. 14, 2004 | Soaring trade deficit threatens to destabilize U.S. financial markets
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Dec. 16, 2003 | NAFTA-related job losses have piled up since 1993
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Nov. 13, 2003 | U.S. NAFTA trade deficit surging again
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March 7, 2003 | U.S.‘s growing trade deficit fuels ballooning net foreign debt
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Oct. 2, 2002 | Disappearing manufacturing jobs and the trade deficit
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July 10, 2002 | Hard landing in store as debt deepens
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April 17, 2002 | Surging dollar contributes to growing trade deficit, job loss
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March 6, 2002 | China trade deficit threat to U.S., others
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April 19, 2001 | NAFTA-related job losses in every state
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March 14, 2001 | Growing trade deficits threaten U.S. economy
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March 6, 2001 | Trade deficits and U.S. workers’ earnings
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Feb. 7, 2001 | Manufacturing key to reducing trade deficit
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Jan. 31, 2001 | Manufacturing problems drive U.S. trade deficit
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Jan. 24, 2001 | Scale-tipping growth spurt for U.S. trade deficit
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May 24, 2000 | Job losses under the China-WTO proposal
Economic Indicators
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Feb. 11, 2013 | U.S. trade deficit declined in 2012, but goods trade deficits with China, and in non-petroleum products, rose sharply
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Feb. 10, 2012 | U.S. trade deficit up in 2011; China accounted for three-fourths of rise in non-oil goods trade deficit
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Feb. 11, 2010 | U.S. Trade deficit falls in 2009, but larger share goes to China
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July 23, 2009 | China dominates U.S. non-oil trade deficit in 2009
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June 18, 2008 | International Picture, June 18, 2008
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March 26, 2008 | International Picture, March 26, 2008
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Feb. 15, 2008 | International Picture, February 15, 2008
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Dec. 18, 2007 | International Picture, December 18, 2007
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Sept. 17, 2007 | International Picture, September 17, 2007
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June 15, 2007 | International Picture, June 15, 2007
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March 14, 2007 | International Picture, March 14, 2007
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Feb. 13, 2007 | International Picture, February 13, 2007
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Dec. 18, 2006 | International Picture, December 18, 2006
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Sept. 18, 2006 | International Picture, September 18, 2006
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June 30, 2006 | International Picture, June 30, 2006
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June 16, 2006 | Current Account Picture: June 16, 2006
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March 14, 2006 | Current Account Picture: March 14, 2006
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Feb. 10, 2006 | Trade picture: February 10, 2006
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Dec. 15, 2005 | Current Account Picture: December 16, 2005
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Nov. 7, 2005 | Trade Picture—May 19, 2000
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Nov. 7, 2005 | Trade Fax: February 19, 1998
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Sept. 23, 2005 | Current Account Picture: September 23, 2005
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Feb. 10, 2005 | Trade Picture: February 10, 2005
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Aug. 13, 2004 | Trade Picture—August 13, 2004
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Feb. 13, 2004 | Trade Picture—February 21, 2002
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Feb. 21, 2002 | Trade Picture: February 13, 2004
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May 19, 2000 | Trade Picture: May 19, 2000
Testimony
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April 5, 2011 | Leveling the playing field in U.S.-China trade
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June 16, 2009 | The status of the steel industry and U.S. manufacturing
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June 22, 2006 | Testimony on Reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank
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April 27, 2006 | Cutting Our Trade Deficit: Can the U.S. Muster Its Diverse Trade Promotion Operations to Make an Impact?
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Sept. 29, 1998 | U.S. Trade Deficits: Causes, Consequences, and Policy Implications
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April 29, 1998 | Free Trade in the Americas: Labor and Environmental Concerns
Commentary
June 20, 2012 | Alabama’s anti-immigrant laws put more than 13,000 good export jobs at risk
April 5, 2012 | The U.S. Export and Import Bank should help finance sales of domestic firms that compete with imports
March 28, 2012 | Institutions that support U.S. jobs should be strengthened, not gutted
April 7, 2011 | Colombia shouldn’t be rewarded with a Free Trade Agreement
Feb. 24, 2011 | Air Force tanker decision will support tens of thousands of U.S. jobs
Jan. 26, 2011 | Exports and jobs: less than half the story
Nov. 17, 2010 | Comments on the USTR investigation of China’s subsidies to green industries
Sept. 14, 2010 | China needs to play by the rules in green technology trade
Aug. 2, 2010 | “Make it in America” bills will advance U.S. manufacturing
June 23, 2010 | U.S. jobs depend on China revaluing its currency now
April 6, 2010 | China trade and jobs: Responding to myths and critics
June 16, 2009 | The status of the steel industry and U.S. manufacturing
Feb. 19, 2009 | Canada needn’t worry about Buy American rules in the stimulus
Feb. 17, 2009 | Steel industry financial wizard to join auto restructuring team
Jan. 30, 2009 | Big business lobbies for importers
Jan. 23, 2009 | Getting tough with China
Jan. 13, 2009 | Steel industry hit hard
April 17, 2008 | Pennsylvania Stagnation: Is Nafta the Culprit?
Jan. 10, 2008 | China’s currency defiance
June 22, 2006 | Testimony on Reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank
April 27, 2006 | Cutting Our Trade Deficit: Can the U.S. Muster Its Diverse Trade Promotion Operations to Make an Impact?
June 23, 2003 | Investors cleaning up while workers suffer
March 4, 2002 | Greenspan’s appointment means higher interest rates
March 4, 2002 | U.S. Workers Must Have Fair Trade
March 4, 2002 | China’s WTO Setback: A Victory for Workers
March 4, 2002 | Memo to Beijing: It’s Time for a Time-out
March 4, 2002 | The U.S. Trade Deficit: Are We Trading Away Our Future?