[LowCountryJoe]

The US marketplace is the biggest, richest Fair in the world and instead of charging full price we give this prime retail location away for free. It's like when it comes to trade Republicans turn socialist as far as the avg. American citizen is concerned. Now of course this free trade gives the rich a lot of money by lowering labor cost and enabling the companies to disregard environmental regulations, and social programs expense. So free trade allows companies to get all the benefits of our marketplace with none of the expenses and the American Joe gets screwed by higher taxes. The soviet Union did not practice protectionism. In fact they had free trade between their satellite countries. The problem with the Soviet Union was there was no profit motive for people to work thus people did crappy work or no work.

This portion is riddled with inaccuracies and one large false analogy. If you properly understood International Economics you would not have written what you did. I've got some very good (and easy to read) recommendations if you're interested...however, while they would not reinforce your current view(s) on the subject they just might save you some future embarrassment.

[nopardons]

And THAT is the problem. The vast majority of posters don't understand a thing about any of this. And worse, they don't want to!

[unseen]

joe your reply is riddled with free trade elitism and a lack of knowledge on national security. I have several sources that may allow you to understand the pain and hardship free trade is causing in the heartland of America (The same heartland that reelected Bush) if your interested which may allow you to sound less like a know-it-all.


Wow see how easy it is to rip someone and yet provide absolutely no evidence to support your point. I have a firm grasp of international economics I have read the arguments for both free and fair trade and I find the evidence points overwhelmingly to the fact that free trade is bad for our poor and lower middle class.