While not exactly ‘hitting out at the US Congress,‘ as his words were described, Simon Crean, Australian Federal Minister for Trade, is right to express concern about increased trade barriers in the proposed porkulus package.

I thought one of things President Obama wanted to do was open a new era in US co-operation and friendship with the world. Setting up trade barriers is not going to do it. The impact on Australia may be substantial, but we’ll cope. The impact on developing countries will lead to increased poverty, and growing resentment of the way the US uses its economic power.

Way to make friends, BO.