TRADE IS IMPORTANT, BUT SO IS CUTTING FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

Missouri Sen. Kit Bond, on most matters a mainstream Republican loyalist, has declared independence from one among many GOP plans for reining in a bloated and expensive federal government. He is resisting those in his party who have declared their intention to abolish the Commerce Department. Among those pushing for abolition are powerful Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, a declared presidential candidate who also has announced his intention to abolish three other cabinet departments: Education, Energy and Housing and Urban Development.

Bond, who stresses his support for other efforts to downsize government, makes a persuasive case for retention of the Commerce Department. In making this case, Bond stresses the role Commerce plays in international trade, especially for small and medium-size companies seeking to export products and services. He argues that services such as the department's Bureau of Export and Trade are important in trade negotiations and in policing and tracking information on unfair trade practices. "Medium and small businesses have to have some of these services to get them into world commerce," Bond says.

Bond says of Commerce: "I would prefer to keep the existing department, trim it and strengthen the international trade aspects, but we need to scale back government." He mentions Education and Energy as candidates for which he supports abolition. "Government needs to be trimmed, but we need to cut government with a scalpel, not a hatchet."

With powerful advocates such as Dole pushing for abolition, Bond understands that he may need a fallback position in the event abolition efforts achieve much momentum. In this event, Bond plans to offer an amendment to create a U.S. Department of International Trade.

It is possible to recognize the strength of Bond's case and still not want to miss a rare chance to abolish a department of government. Certainly Bond is correct when he says that the federal government provides some services that would-be international traders can't get anywhere else. But we have an Office of the U.S. Trade Representative now. Given the current mood to go full-throttle toward downsizing government, Bond's fallback position is to be preferred.

Let's not miss a chance to flat-out abolish a cabinet department of the federal government. Full speed ahead on that important mission. Let's consolidate whatever essential international trade functions in a strengthened office of the trade representative.

In an increasingly interdependent world economy, unfettered international trade represents one of our brightest hopes for continued growth, both here and abroad. The federal government does indeed have a role to play. And don't overlook the many successes in foreign trade that have been enjoyed by economic development efforts in several states, including Missouri.

Bond has made an important contribution to the debate in his comments in defense of the Commerce Department. The wisest course is to abolish the department and retain essential functions in the trade representative's office.