Opens to the comments of an unidentified man on the deficit, Representative Richard Gephardt at a press conference comments on the U.S. economy, panning shot of American clothing factory where women sit and sew piles of clothes at sewing machines, comments of clothing factory employee on Taiwanese made clothing, comments of another unidentified man on the budget deficit, from tv studio Capital Journal host Hodding Carter introduces show.
Shot of Senators arriving in cars and walking into the Capital Building (including Gary Hart), Senator Ernest Hollings criticizes Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill for not formulating a balanced budget, he compares him to previous Democratic leaders.
Back in studio Hodder Carter explains Senate amendment to balance the budget and introduces topic of foreign trade competition.
Shots of Congress in session, Representative Dan Rostenkowski expresses the need for trade "barriers".
On screen text lists the economic statistics responsible for protectionist sentiment.
Representative Marty Russo tells the House that the Democrats are taking a cue that the White House has passed up. President Ronald Reagan in a State of the Union address promotes free trade and criticizes protectionism.
Back in studio Hodder Carter segues to more footage.
White House representatives including James Baker, meets with representatives of U.S. trade partners in Washington, at a press conference Reagan walks to podium with Vice President George Bush and says that he will not allow "unfair trading practices abroad" to adversely impact the American economy, Representative Lloyd Bentsen says trade negotiations have do be done with substance and not rhetoric, Representative Gephardt speaks at a meeting of the Democratic Leadership Council about international trade, Representative Donald Sundquist talks about a new trade bill, excerpt from a debate between Representatives Gephardt and Jack Kemp at which Kemp takes jab at Gephardt's protectionist stance.
Charles Schultze of the Brookings Institution says the protectionist Democrats are playing politics, Pat Caddell comments on why the Democratic party taking the stand its taking, Jude Wanniski of the Polyeconomic Institute talks about the Reagan administration's slow response to the foreign trade issue
Back in studio Hodder Carter segues segment on a town in Tennessee.
Shots of a factory town - McMinnville, Tennessee - town streets, shots of abandoned textile factories outside of town - exterior shots of building, interior shots of complex and static textile mill machinery, shots of the busy operations of the McMinnville Garment Factory - women sew clothing at machines, men use industrial irons to iron new slacks, comments of Jim Risinger the plant manager of the McMinnville Garment Factory on foreign competition, Representative Jim Cooper speaks with constituent garment factory employee about foreign competition, Cooper then explains why he's taking his protectionist stance
Nashville skyline as seen from down river. City streets of Nashville showing public transportation, buildings and vehicular traffic. Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander talking about helping Americans find jobs when lost to foreign competition, though he believes TN gains more from exports and foreign investment than it loses from foreign competition. Shot of Lamar Alexander moving through JFK airport in New York, on a business trip to spark deals in Asia. Shots of automobile factory workers welding car frames at Nissan headquarters in Tennessee. Governor Alexander stating that the real problem is the federal deficit.
Shots inside Nissan manufacturing headquarters, automobile assembly line workers welding. Shots of workers assembling cars in the Trim and Chassis department. Nissan Plant worker Melvin Norwood comparing American workers to those of other countries, he also talks about prices and wages.
President of Nissan USA, Marvin Runion, talking about the correlation between wages and productivity. Shots of workers at Nissan manufacturing headquarters painting cars and trucks on the assembly line. Marvin Runion talks about being competitive in the global economy.
Shots of women sewing piles of pants at the McMinnville Garment Factory. Representative Jim Cooper saying that he doesn't want American workers to be earning low foreign wages and "eating rice all day" - he goes on to give his trade agenda.
In studio Hodding Carter with discussion panel: from the Capital Building (broadcast in the studio on a large screen monitor) Senator Warren Rudman and Senator James Sasser, and in the studio Linda Wertheimer of National Public Radio and Political Analyst Keven Phillips, they discuss the balanced budget legislation up for passage in the Congress and protectionist legislation.
In studio Hodding Carter with discussion panel: from the Capital Building (broadcast in the studio on a large screen monitor) Senator Warren Rudman and Senator James Sasser, and in the studio Linda Wertheimer of National Public Radio and Political Analyst Keven Phillips, they discuss the balanced budget legislation up for passage in the Congress and protectionist legislation.
In studio Hodding Carter with discussion panel: from the Capital Building (broadcast in the studio on a large screen monitor) Senator Warren Rudman and Senator James Sasser, and in the studio Linda Wertheimer of National Public Radio and Political Analyst Keven Phillips, they discuss the balanced budget legislation up for passage in the Congress and protectionist legislation.
In studio Hodding Carter with discussion panel: from the Capital Building (broadcast in the studio on a large screen monitor) Senator Warren Rudman and Senator James Sasser, and in the studio Linda Wertheimer of National Public Radio and Political Analyst Keven Phillips, they discuss the balanced budget legislation up for passage in the Congress and protectionist legislation. Carter closes show.