Some business visitors and big bucks purchasers of US products are now turning their backs on the US. All business relations have a personal factor and the intimidation at the US border is something that people simply do not enjoy.
I know a business man who was a regular visitor to the US before the Homeland Security measures were put into place. He now refuses to go and be intimidated by some "half-witted person" (his words) assigned to work at airports.
He used to buy large quantities of US products for export. He still buys some goods but longer visits his suppliers or the US trade shows to get first hand information about new products. His purchases in the US have definitely declined. He's not suffering, but the US economy certainly is.
Joi Ito's thread Homeland Security at the border covers some interesting points on this topic. However, maybe this discussion has a short shelf life. Currently it appears that many Europeans are going to have their freedom to travel to the USA withdrawn after October 2004 anyway.
