Posted on 10/13/2007 8:28:25 AM PDT by ckilmer
Free trade has cost the U.S. jobs.
The United States is open for imports from anywhere with NO tariffs. While American products in places like China and South Korea are taxed at high import duties.
But by trying to level the playing field it is going to lose us jobs???????
HOw about demanding our exports be given equal treatment?
President Bush are you sure a little tit for tat may just cost some of your fat cat buddies a few bucks?
Now that Nikita Khrushchev, THERE was a man who knew how to set industrial policy!
Interesting that you would bring up South Korea . . . .
Your idea of free trade is not fair trade.
I do not believe this is true. The US has trade barriers also. Historically, our markets have been more open but that situation is changing. For example, we have tariffs on Brazilian ethanol. We have a complex system of farm supports that restricts imports.
These agreements are complex documents. I am sure that there are many areas that are unfavorable to us as well as other areas that are favorable. It might be useful to evaluate the details of the agreements.
Without the agreements, there will be less trade. All things being equal, more trade is preferred because trade is voluntary. More voluntary exchanges will increase employment and provide more choices to consumers.
Don’t worry. The second they anoint Hillary all these trade deals will sail right thur. It was her hubby Bubba that rammed thru NAFTA. The notion that Democrats are any less Globalist is absurd.
The North American Alliance is going down.
But aren’t there jobs Americans don’t want to do anyway?
If he wants free trade then let's let him arrange for $20+ million of us to move to Mexico and live off their sociaty for free. As for myself, I'd like a nice house on the beach outside of Cozumel. I won't buy insurance, I won't learn the language, I won't pay taxes and I damn sure won't follow any Mexican laws. So get right on this for me Jorge so we can have free and balanced trade...
We cannot export things to poorer nations that cost more to manufacture here then everywhere else, and most of our things do.
The only way for these agreements to expand our trade on an equal basis is to value all of the currency the same.
Strangely the dollar continues to fall - it is now below the Canadian value! - and the dollar is neatly coming into the range where pesos will be envisioned at near parity, once they adjust out a few things.
Then you can have your precious Amero, senor, which is where all of this is designed to go.
And don’t even try to deny it.
We can still tell that a dog has passed by seeing the paw-prints in the snow.
And we can see you, as well.
Wow, that's a whole lotta' nuthin' . . . last year, almost 1030 billion dollars' worth of goods.
So in other words, you are opposed to a trade agreement with, say, South Korea because we have an illegal immigration problem.
Apparently, that was my first mistake.
“The only way for these agreements to expand our trade on an equal basis is to value all of the currency the same.”
Perhaps you should focus on debating my main points:
- Trade agreements are complex documents. Perhaps it would be preferable to have simpler agreements but I am not sure if simpler agreements are possible.
- All things equal, more trade is preferred to less trade.
- The US has many trade barriers. The old situation of open US markets and closed foreign markets has changed.
Your main point is that we cannot compete on manufacturing. On balance, I agree with your point. In specific areas, we compete very well. Our main problem is not manufacturing. We compete well in providing goods and services if we have a good political environment. The environment with over regulation, high taxes, energy mandates, union thuggery, and litigation madness is choking us. On balance, trade agreements are not a problem.
I guess we have to change your screen name to 1dumboy.
Why don’t you thrill us all with your acumen? - Tell us all what products we can sell abroad that are more expensive there than the products made elsewhere?
Please do, so that my company can gear up to export them...
Hey Toddster, bill needs some help with setting-up a business plan. Can you post that list of goods we export?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.