Foreign trade has become more important to our economy in recent years. Exports and imports of goods and services have grown rapidly. A growing trade volume benefits our standard of living in several ways, but, as the recession deepens, my focus here will be limited to the impact of the trade balance on America's gross domestic product and, by implication, its job market. G.D.P and employment generally move in the same directions; so what I say about the impact on G.D.P generally applies to employment as well.