Each morning, New America's Next Social Contract Initiative scans the leading media outlets for must-read analysis on the economic crisis and recovery efforts. Today's highlights include:

Housing Starts Decline to Record Low
Calculated Risk, http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/, 16 December 2008
Total housing starts were at 625 thousand (SAAR) in November, by far the lowest level since the Census Bureau began tracking housing starts in 1959.

It is difficult to see how the latest episode of the Doha round of trade negotiations will be successful given the complexity of negotiating between 152 parties, the shadows of past failures, and an uncertain future for the global economy.  Peter Mandelson, the EU Trade Commissioner said, "It would be unrealistic to say there is more than a 50/50 chance of success."  The upcoming presidential election in the United States adds to the lack of conviction on global commitment to free trade, as Barack Obama has hinted at renegotiating NAFTA. 

Snapshot asks, are trade negotiations difficult because of the complexity of multiparty negotiations or a lack of commitment to the underlying principles of the WTO?

Financial Times - Mandelson on Doha Talks VIDEO
Wall Street Journal - Doha's F-Words
German Marshall Fund - Time to Rethink the WTO System
VOX - The WTO Tipping Point
Peterson Institute - Food and Free Trade