You will probably not find that deficit figure in your newspaper since almost all the media only reports the much lower goods-and-services deficit which was $80 Billion less in 2000 or a record near $370 Billion.

If these statistics startle you, they should. But you must keep in mind that even these staggering trade shortfalls represent merely part of the true deficit. Why? Because illegal drugs — estimated to be between $200-to-$300 Billion — and mislabeled or contraband imports are simply not counted at all. So the real deficit could be double the $450 Billion, or about $900 Billion. In short, it is on track to hit $1 Trillion!

Communist China ran up the biggest trade surplus against us in 2000, a huge $83.810 Billion that for the first time surpassed Japan, which had an $81.322 Billion surplus. However, Japan continued strong in exports to the United states — $146.576 Billion compared to China’s $100.063 Billion.

Canada, our No. 1 trading “partner,” showered us with $299.209 Billion in exports last year and Mexico bombed us with $135.910 Billion more for a combined NAFTA total of nearly $365.119 Billion. Our trade deficit with Canada was $50.424 Billion and with Mexico $24.190 Billion, giving us a more than $74.613 Billion NAFTA deficit.

As the debate over Super-NAFTA proceeds this year, try to remember that the United States used to run trade surpluses with both Canada and Mexico. But since NAFTA we have sunk deeper and deeper into the deficit hole with thee two countries and will stay there unless we get out of NAFTA — a goal we should all set for ourselves if we want to keep America.

Bloomberg News called ACCT when the trade deficit was announced and asked what we thought about China topping Japan. Early last year we predicted this would happen. The following is what we told Bloomberg:

“Americans are buying Chinese goods to give China the money to increase its high-tech arms buildup for the war they are planning against us, a war their defense minister, Chi Haotian, says is “inevitable. “ This suicidal China trade policy must be corrected soon if America and its allies are to survive.