Posted on 02/13/2011 4:06:39 PM PST by 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?
I appreciate your feedback.
I am not an economist. I had one or two econ classes.
But I have a brain, two eyes and the ability to see.
It is my opinion, that the first Republican who seizes on this issue and harnesses Americans’ increasing fury at what is going on - will rock American politics as nobody since Ronald Reagan.
Just ask any protectionist on FR,
Since when did Free Republic become a bastion for those that support Communist Economic policy?
Well, that explains a lot . . . it was your professors. LOL
I'm not a tarriffer like central_va, but I have to agree with him here: neither I nor the Founding Fathers thought Americans citizens "must place our faith in our government". I place my faith in the King of Kings; all other must earn my trust.
Well you sure did! Sorry I missed your post.
Too many flames flying around in this one.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/954156/posts
“But, in general, the protective system of our day is conservative, while the free trade system is destructive. It breaks up old nationalities and pushes the antagonism of the proletariat and the bourgeoisie to the extreme point. In a word, the free trade system hastens the social revolution. It is in this revolutionary sense alone, gentlemen, that I vote in favor of free trade.” ~ Karl Marx, On the Question of Free Trade, January 9, 1848 http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/01/09ft.htm#marx
Funny thing, there were NO ECON Majors in my engineering classes even though they were offered as electives for them to take.
>>Excellent posts comparing physics to economics. Not quite a hard science, but yet the principles of economics are unchanging because human nature does not change.<<
That is a fair point. But economics adjusts to those tendencies, if you understand the underlying principles.
There are tools economists can (and must) use for analysis. Those tools are based on principles that are as clear and unyielding as physics.
It is the effects of forces that those tools measure that cause such significant difference in policy.
I merely ask that those who opine on matters economic understand basic economics, as I would ask anyone who opines on matters to have an understanding of the fundamentals of that subject.
It isn’t asking too much.
The U.S. government aided and abetted, was complicit and winked and nodded as destructive free trade polices were enacted...
The government assigns names to policies which mean just the opposite...Free trade, patriot act, etc...
The insiders running fat corps are the same ones pulling the strings of the corrupt in D.C.
All of the wealthy political insiders, the banksters and fatcorp are all riding in the same limo...
It's the same reason why our borders have been left wide open...Low wage illegal labor by the millions...
The fix is in.
A million jobs move overseas with the resulting payroll and taxes going with it is somehow supposed to help America?
How about when 20 million jobs go overseas?
How about when we’ve exported all our industrial knowledge and Americans don’t know how to build things anymore?
Govt rules are only part of the problem
Greed cannot be ruled out
However, fair trade is much better than FREE trade, and this nation practiced FAIR trade for over a century and did well
Free trade is not the cause of our demise. The problem is taxation & regulation - an overbearing government here in the US.
Our businesses & industry have moved overseas, not because of free trade, but because their costs of doing business are significantly less than in the US. Wages & benefits are much lower, as are taxes, & any regulation can be bribed out of existence.
America used to be a magnet for business & industry. Now, companies can't wait to leave. Until or unless we recreate an economy that is tax, regulation, & profit friendly to businesses, our decline will continue.
If you place tariffs on imported goods, foreign countries will simply reciprocate with their own tariffs on our goods. The World tried that during the Great Depression with disastrous consequences. And tariffs only raise the price of goods in the stores, hurting all Americans. Why should I pay more for clothing, appliances, & other goods simply because the gov’t & unions have driven these industries overseas?
What you are advocating is a gov’t subsidy on inefficient, unprofitable companies & industries, whether caused by over-taxation, over-regulation, unions, and/or just bad management. This is not a conservative position.
Tariffs & trade restrictions (other than military related) are for those who can't compete in a capitalist economy. I will side with capitalism over regulation & tariff every time. The gov't is no better at this aspect of economic manipulation than it is in any other.
Don't you get it? The gov't is the problem, not the solution!
If I’m not mistaken, it was the communists of that era who in fact advocated for “free trade” precisely so social dysfunction could be created.
The original Cloward Piven, you might say.
Nothing is funnier than watching them tapdance around the issue. And hey, what’s an additional 10% out of your income? It’s just 10%, and the government would NEVER dare increasing it.
“True, but the root problem is still govt. It’s govt imposing rules and regulations, not GE. “
There’s really very little difference these days. These global companies have so much influence they literally write policy and the laws.
gee , protectionism kept jobs within your own country, how is that a failure??
Even those drooling in cups seem to understand this...
It's a total win for Communist China..
"We will bury you"
- Nikita Khrushchev November 18, 1956
"We must change our economy to be more like Japan or risk losing our place as the leading economy in the world"
- Common sentiment among protectionists and doomers in the late 80's.
>>Since when did Free Republic become a bastion for those that support Communist Economic policy?<<
I throw the flag — show me where I suggest any such thing.
You are busted. You not only took no econ courses (since you can’t answer my simple question), but now you are busted for saying something not born out by any facts.
I ask you again: QUOTE ME WHERE I HAVE SUGGESTED ANY ACTION AT ALL!
Double-busted. It sucks to be you.
Economics is not rocket science. It isn't that hard to understand supply and demand.
Somehow, we manged as a nation, until 1972, to not deal with communists or other hostile counties. We seemed to manage quite well. This will go down in history as the biggest hijack in the history of man-kind.
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