Posted on 08/02/2006 8:41:11 AM PDT by tang0r
Forget the politicking on the news about tariffs and subsidies. The true advantages of free trade, toward which small political steps as the Doha trade round are vital, are to the long-term financial and social benefit of America and the world. Were free trade effectively implemented, instead of being torpedoed by the demagogic posturing of reactionary Leftists, the progress and development it inspired would improve the lives of millions of people.
(Excerpt) Read more at prometheusinstitute.net ...
If you must have a multi-hundred page book outlining the agreement, then it ain't really Free Trade, is it?
Not at the sacrifice of soverignty and our security (our borders) as our fine Washington-ites would have it. All at OUR cost -- never to them of course.
Yeah! Free trade my ancient mare. Free means free, like in equal. How come under NAFTA Mexican trucks and drivers that do not come close to our standards of safety and training are clogging our highways with obviously overloaded trucks and we cannot haul into precious Mexico?
How come a liter of vanilla extract costs $2.50 in Tecate, Mexico and $23.00 in El Cajon, CA? There are piles more...
No more "Free Trade" until American interests are represented by real Americans and not Liberal traitors.
If these agreements increase personal freedom by lowering government interference, is that a good thing? Are lower prices good? Is increased trade good for our economy? Jobs? Wealth? If not, why not?
The author might be surprised to learn just how many "conservatives" on FR agree with these leftists.
Do they lower government interference, or do they just change the face of the government interference? I'm all for free trade, but free means free. How much needs to be specified other than, "I won't stop your sellers, and you won't stop mine. All other laws apply."
Tariffs are taxes that exert more government control over the economy. Same with quotas. Removing them or lowering them reduces government control of trade and the economy. The more economic freedom a country practices the more wealth they will accumulate. There is also a solid correlation between the amount of personal liberty people enjoy and the amount of economic freedom a country practices. Since WWII we have significantly reduced barriers to trade and our economy and wealth have increased dramatically.
We're doing a poor job of shipping our jobs to Mexico.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Postal Square Building 2 Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, DC 20212-0001 |
Phone: (202) 691-5200 |
As you can see, since NAFTA passed in November 1993, we have added 23.2 million jobs.
We also need it so eventually we can become the North American Union.
Stop smoking that weed, it's bad for your lungs and your logic.
Agreed. Much of what is claimed to be "free trade" is just a bunch of slogans. The truth lies in the small print, hundreds of pages of it.
I don't think you understand my point.
Thank you. I was afraid I wasn't being clear.
Then call it freer trade.
"We hope that through these negotiations we will be able to convince our trading partners to stop their unfair trading practices and open those markets that are now closed to American exports. We will take countermeasures only as a last resort, but our trading partners should not doubt our determination to see international trade conducted fairly with the same rules applicable to all. I'm committed to and will continue to fight for fair trade. American exporters and American workers deserve a fair shake abroad, and we intend to see they get it. Our objective will always be to make world trading partnerships freer and fairer for all."
The USA was a unique creation by a group of men who fostered individual freedom, as much as individual responsibility. When individual states deal with each other, they're dealing within our Constitutional system of free and fair trade. This is not the case when the US deals with nations of the world. No one is suggesting we isolate ourselves or create strong protectionist trade barriers with other nations. But its critical that the Feds promote a conservative policy agenda on the issue of trade, that advances US sovereignty, US interests abroad, while it respects the right of individual Americans.
Okay. That's a little more accurate.
Only on the FR; the rest of the country sees import tax hikes as a Democrat plank along with gay rights and abortion. Last week I was fussing with Hedge over a import tax cut that just passed the Senate, and even I was surprised at how partisan it's become.
Let's face it; it's the liberal Democrats that love big government welfare import taxes and it's the Republicans that want tax-cuts and smaller government.
OK, its 90%+ of the Republicans that want import tax-cuts.
I'm in favor of FREE trade.
A proposal to cut tariffs by 50% is no good, because it's not a 100% cut?
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