Is 'Buy American' Good for America?

"Buy American" measures are coming back in style in Congress, most notably in the $787 billion stimulus plan, but critics warn that the provisions are launching destructive trade wars and backfiring on American-based companies. In addition to retaliation from other countries with their own trade restrictions, the measures are causing some U.S. companies to suffer directly as many of their products are only partially produced in America and thus deemed ineligible for stimulus funds. Said the owner of one Swiss-Russian business in Pittsburgh of the broad new provisions: "I've got 600 United Steel Workers out there who are going to lose their jobs because of this. And you tell me this is good for America?"