A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days

Meanwhile, Barack Obama accuses Hillary Clinton of being excessively pro-free trade.

And while all of this goes on, world trade growth suffers:

World trade growth declined sharply in 2007 and is expected to slow further this year as financial turmoil and rising commodity prices further depress global economic activity, the World Trade Organisation said on Thursday.

Preliminary estimates suggest the volume of world trade rose 5.5 per cent in 2007, down from a robust 8.5 per cent in 2006.

Based on the latest gloomy global output forecasts by the International Monetary Fund, the WTO says trade growth this year could slip to 4.5 per cent, the lowest since 2002.

The candidate who can work to reinvigorate world trade will be the one who helps implement policies designed to bring about greater prosperity. Too bad that Clinton and Obama are too busy trying to define themselves as the anti-prosperity candidate.