" Our country faces its most serious economic crisis since the great depression. Working families, who saw their incomes decline by $2,000 in the economic "expansion" from 2000 to 2007, now face even deeper income losses...(...) Barack Obama and Joe Biden have a plan to revitalize the economy....Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that trade with foreign nations should strengthen the American economy and create more American jobs. They will stand firm against agreements that undermine our economic security.." . (President's agenda)
In order to meet this above-mentioned challenge, President Obama promised to establish "A rapid, aggressive response to our financial crisis, using all the tools we have". And one of those tools is connected to French-American commerce, fair trade and "savoir-faire" (technological know-how).
"Fight for Fair Trade: Obama and Biden will fight for a trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support good American jobs. They will use trade agreements to spread good labor and environmental standards around the world and stand firm against agreements like the Central American Free Trade Agreement that fail to live up to those important benchmarks. Obama and Biden will also pressure the World Trade Organization to enforce trade agreements and stop countries from continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and nontariff barriers on U.S. exports". (President's agenda).
In this perspective, and pending the structuring of holistic health sustainable eco villages, by promoting the importation of a selective array of French sustainable technology and the exportation of American appropriate technology and high tech, we would generate additional jobs within the U.S..
By striving to harmonize monetary policies among central banks and by emphasizing the promotion of fair trade in holistic medicine and complementary and alternative energies (solar, wind, geo-thermal, hydrogen, tidal, electric, air compression engines etc) and all of the goods and services which nurtures a dynamic and resilient world economy, the United States and France could better serve their people’s basic needs while reinforcing American commerce, American jobs, American public health and the U.S.'s national interests.
THE ENERGY FIELD
In the energy field, President Obama's experts purport to save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined by putting one million plug-In hybrid cars (cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon) on the road by 2015..."...cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America", and to ensure that ".... 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025". And that the U.S. will "...implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050".
"Invest in a clean energy economy and create 5 million new green jobs: Obama and Biden will invest $150 billion over 10 years to advance the next generation of biofuels and fuel infrastructure, accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids, promote development of commercial scale renewable energy, invest in low emissions coal plants, and begin transition to a new digital electricity grid. The plan will also invest in America's highly-skilled manufacturing workforce and manufacturing centers to ensure that American workers have the skills and tools they need to pioneer the first wave of green technologies that will be in high demand throughout the world" (President's agenda).
In these fields, France has innovative approaches that could be useful to the United States, from organic agriculture, to small wind generators to electric and air compressor engines (the famous "air car") (see next section) to biogaz, laser technology and nano technology et other items.
Some of these techniques could be exported to the U.S and built in situ, which would further create American jobs. Please see my gubernatorial efforts in reforming Nations' energy systems and anti pollution measures.
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
In the agriculture field, European organic agriculture surpasses North American's as the global organic food market continues to grow rapidly (growth rate of about 19% in 2007). Increasing health and environmental awareness among consumers is the major reason for the stupendous growth in the market. Demand for organic food is concentrated in North America and Europe, these two regions contributed around 96% of global revenues in 2007. Exceptionally high growth rates have tightened the supply in almost every sector of the market and this is creating opportunity for the organic food exporters and for Franco-American commercial relations.
SUSTAINABLE MASS TRANSIT
Please see also my gubernatorial efforts in reform mass transport systems. Both countries have useful and complementary approaches which can be of benefit, including, but not limited to the French "SNCF" train system, thereby consolidating Franco-American relations and building the Peace among Nations.
THE HEMP INDUSTRY
France, like Chile, Switzerland, North Korea, Russia and China is also an industrial hemp country. This plant is grown there to make paper (much less polluting than conventional wood paper mills), textile, building equipment, oil, as an agricultural companion plant, improving the soil etc and thus has expertise on this cash crop. In the U.S. there are a few State Legislatures interested in legalizing this crop, including Vermont, but the federal laws need to first allow the production of industrial hemp. Among other uses, hemp also has a cellulostic bio-fuel capacity and therefore can contribute in resolving the fossil fuel fiasco. Oregon State University worked on a good study on the economic importance of this cash crop. For all of these reasons, Franco-American collaboration would be fertile for this plant, as well as for the kudzu plant whose daily growth is on average 2 inches and which could replace the soil and energy depleting corn ethanol.
THE "WELLNESS" INDUSTRY
The "wellness" industries (supplements, aerobics and gym services, oxygen, pulse and heat products, energy bars, superfoods etc.) is becoming a multi-billions of dollars business many countries. France has a long tradition of many of these products, from homeopathy, to detoxification plants to organic and-or well made traditional wines (in small quantities). The U.S. also produces many wellness products. Both countries should intensify their trade in this field, if only to promote more health and vitality among their Peoples.
The French are well known for having keen technological projects, but deficient operational and management methods. The President's projected Advanced Manufacturing Fund's scope could incorporate European and French advanced manufacturing strategies.
I am presently working on a concrete Franco-American Diplomatic plan of action to contribute in finding solutions to these challenges. Meanwhile, please see my proposed Economic, Development and "beyond recession" Action Plan for Washington State, which was outlined during my gubernatorial efforts.