"Free trade" is not the solution to our problems. "Free trade" is the problem...

(vanity)

[Cringing Negativism Network]

It is time to face up to the elephant in the living room, which for some reason conservative Americans are desperately determined to ignore.

"Free trade" is destroying America.

A generation ago, America was the world's preeminent power. We led the world in manufacturing. Technology. Space. Innovation. In every way, America was the best.

In a single generation, we have squandered that heritage, and now are deeply in debt to a communist nation which just one generation ago - rode only bicycles.

WTF will it take, to wake Americans (particularly conservative Americans, who should know better) up to the very real danger of stripping America of everything which made her great?

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Yet there is one aspect to this, which can be seen clearly; it is this poster's intention to point it out, hoping it will be noticed.

Two weeks ago, Donald Trump was a caricature. Someone known for antics, and a single phrase..

That same Donald Trump in one single week, catapulted to national prominence by saying in so many words:

AMERICA FIRST.

[cripplecreek]

The problem is that there is a LOT of blame to go around from labor, government, and corporations.

[Batrachian]

You don’t think sacrificing everything in the name of free trade (corporate profits) is a good policy? What’s wrong with you?

[farlander]

Free Trade is not the problem. Government policies are. Move the corporate rate to 0%, pass right-to-work laws, make sound energy policy directions (ie, EVERYTHING) and watch every company on the planet open new plants here.

[WilliamHouston]

This is true.

It is not a message that many conservatives want to hear though. The fact is, decades of free trade have made a lot of money for the rich in this country, but the average American has seen his wages stagnate or decline.

[cripplecreek]

Donald Trump certainly isn’t the answer. I’d sooner trust Don King.

[libh8er]

Afraid I will have to disagree with you. FRee trade is not the problem. Govt rules, regulations and tax laws are. That’s whats killing our manufacturing base.

[bill1952]

A generation ago, America was the world's preeminent power. We led the world in manufacturing. Technology. Space. Innovation. In every way, America was the best.

Yes, before the Government grew to fill the available space and taxed it, regulated it, and, along with their union voters, put the cost of doing business in America so high that business left.

Remove the overwhelming government interference and it will come roaring back.
There is no other way.

[libh8er]

free trade have made a lot of money for the rich in this country, but the average American has seen his wages stagnate or decline.

You aren't a HuffPo troll by any chance, are you ?

[backwoods-engineer]

"Free Trade" is not the only problem. Big government regulation and too-high taxes are the forces that cause businesses to outsource.

I agree that we should not be trading on a peer basis with China; as our primary lender nation, that puts us at a distinct disadvantage.

Given that, I can tell you with certainty: any serious attempt at trade protectionism, a la Smoott-Hawley, will take out present recession and plunge it into a full-blown, deep depression that will will not recover from for years.

[maddog55]

And McCain was screaming Country First.. where’d that get us?

[SonOfDarkSkies]

If this is what you know of economics, he need to erase your files and start over.

[9YearLurker]

Correlation is not causation.

[SonOfDarkSkies]

“You”...not “he.”

[Cringing Negativism Network]

McCain selected Governor Palin his running mate.

Evidence, McCain’s not (always) a clueless idiot... :)

[mewykwistmas]

To China:

Let your currency trade freely or else

The debt we owe is forgiven for what you have done so far

Companies that send jobs and build plants overseas should be treated very differently by the tax code.

[SteamShovel]

Govt rules, regulations and tax laws are.

This is most of the problem.....

.....OSHA

.....EPA

.....US Department of Labor

.....Labor Unions

....."Tax the Rich"

.....Lawyers

.....Frivolous Lawsuits

But I have to add the "Three Years and Move-On Manager".

They come in, stir things up, destroy product and process continuity in the name of "change" just to look like they are "doing something", and then they write a new resume and move to another company before the crap hits the fan.

[steveab]

Free Market is not the problem. What you are calling “Free Market” is Crony Capitalism. The roll of the Government is to level the playing field of rules and regulation to the lowest possible interferences. The road we are going down today is privatize the profit but socialize the lost. That’s the system they have in China and it will fail.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

You have been sleeping the last 20 years or so, haven’t you?

China is doing far better than we are.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The ruling class's definition of "free trade" is a 50,000 page treaty on exceptions to free trade and special privileges for special people.

True free trade is a zero-page document with no ruling-class parasites involved.