Post Modern Politics in Action

My good friend Brian Peckford has drawn my attention to an interesting set of facts from the World Bank which demonstrate the truth of my post earlier today about the difference between political reality and the real world (we used to call this integrity).

Since G-20 leaders signed a pledge in November 2008 to avoid protectionist measures, several countries, including 17 of the G-20, have implemented 47 measures that restrict trade at the expense of other countries, the World Bank study shows.

Since the beginning of the financial crisis, officials have proposed and/or implemented roughly 78 trade measures, according to the World Bank’s monitoring list of trade and trade-related measures. Of these, 66 involved trade restrictions, and 47 trade-restricting measures eventually took effect. The effects of these measures are likely minor relative to the size of unaffected markets but they have a significant negative effect on particular exporters shut out of markets.

More importantly, they reveal the double-speak of modern politics. Lets have other examples (but not global warming, it is too easy!).