[HornyMolly]

None because exports happen when foreigners decide to buy our stuff, not the federal government?

[ReggieRed]

Obama would deserve credit for some of the increase if he had actually followed through on a number of free trade deals currently languishing in the Senate, like the one with Korea.

[averkif]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_K...rade_Agreement

The Republic of Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement (also known as KORUS FTA) is a trade agreement between the United States and the Republic of Korea. Negotiations were announced on February 2, 2006, and concluded on April 1, 2007. The treaty was first signed on June 30, 2007, with a renegotiated version signed in early December 2010. The agreement was passed by the United States on October 12, 2011 with the Senate passing it 83-15 and the House 278-151. It was ratified by the National Assembly of South Korea on November 22, 2011, with a vote of 151-7, with 12 abstentions. I think it passed?

[15Praxanant]

It's nice to see exports increasing but last I heard we went from the world's leading exporter to only a very distant third. We just outsourced every thing and that's why unemployment is so high.

[ëàìèíàò]

That would not really make sense, given that wages probably dropped during that period.

[DoctoNilsonDen]

There was a sudden onset of outsourcing in 2008-09?

No, it's been going on at an accelerating pass for the last 30 years. Politicians tried to paper over the problem by relaxing regulations allowing a credit boom. That boom turned to bust in 2008 exposing the underlying problems (such as we just don't make as much as we used to as a percentage of GDP).

[Shemker394]

It's nice to see exports increasing but last I heard we went from the world's leading exporter to only a very distant third. We just outsourced every thing and that's why unemployment is so high.

Yes.

The job market is tough because of a shift away from manufacturing? Why would a larger manufacturing sector lead to lower unemployment?

A service-orientated country will never be a power. Never. Why did the North beat the South in the War Between The States? Manufacturing > Farming (service industry).

[Sawyer]

What would you call it? It's not manufacturing. I realize it's not retail or food service, but what would you term it?

[sciectotacype17]

The distinction between goods and services is kind of ambiguous but farming is pretty clearly on the goods side.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service...oods_continuum

[DongoSab]

When has a factory driven civilization ever had the opportunity to beat down a service economy? And remember, the factory made goods are sold in stores, so it's a form of retail, so manufacturing countries are wimpy service countries too.

[Zenunlild]

Equating the modern US economy with the economy of the antebellum South does not make sense.