Today's Free Trade is not about the Free Market

JEFFHEAD.COM ^ | 08/01/2003 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

TODAY'S FREE TRADE IS NOT ABOUT THE FREE MARKET

We are in a very real battle in this nation and it is a battle for our heart and soul. It is spread out on many, many fronts...education, foreign policy, work ethic (individually and societally), immigration, the economy, moral values...and the list goes on.

Let's focus on the economy and one significant part of it...a major, growing part of it. Free Trade and foreign outsourcing.

I was going to entitle this article..."I used to make something"...or..."We used to make something in this country". But, I thought better of it and realized that such a statment was really focusing on the tail end of the issue as opposed to the root.

So, instead, I am simply calling it, "Today's Free Trade is not about the Free Market."

And it is so, today's Free Trade is NOT about the free market. Instead, in a very similar manner to other key issues in this battle for the heart and soul of America, what is happening is that a very craftily wordsmithed message of "Free Trade" has been put forth that people have bought into, thinking "How could anyone be against free trade? Why, isn't that all-American?".

Like with abortion, "How could anyone be against a woman's right to choose? Isn't that all American?".

In both cases, the craftily worded title has nothing remotely to do with what is actually going on.

The free market is the system our founders based our commerce on, where the intrinsic, underlying moral values of the people involved in the free market governed the equitable, free exchange of goods and services for other goods and services or currency. Sort of like John Adams said regarding the Constitution...

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."- John Adams, Oct. 11, 1798

It is that underlying moral foundation coupled woth our liberty that made the Free Market in America the envy of the world, just like those same issues made our governmental form the envy of the world.

Well, as far as I am conerned, Adam's words could be tailored to this topic like so, ie... The Free Market was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the economy of any other.

This is a basic truth. Like our government, our free market was not supposed to be very regulated or burdened with miriad rules. The people and the companies were to use their own moral foundation to govern themselves. But, when the moral foundation is removed, you do not have what was intended for the Constitution, and you do not have a true free market.

When we use our foreign policy and economic policy to set up shop and trade with countries, societies, organizations or to implement policies that exploit their people's mercilessly, who keep them down without a hope for true liberty or freedom, who trample the moral values our own system was based upon...and when we do it knowingly, without compuction for those very underlying values, then we do not create a free market...no, that free trade has nothing whatsoever to do with, and is in no way similar to the FREE MARKET, rather, it serves to corrupt it.

Such notions, such actions are in fact wordsmithing for popularizing and putting forth a policy to drain the United States manufacturing, technological, agricultural, energy and other critical industries in order to weaken us...plain and simple...and it is working.

Based on my own travels on behalf of US firms and then later consulting for them...that is what is really happening here in my own opinion, and until we refocus as a people on that underlying moral foundation and the absolute need for it...we will continue to lose ground.

By the way, those same principles that are working at the societal level, have equal application at the personal level too...in fact, in the end it is the sum of their working at the personal level that creates the issue at the societal level.

Jeff Head
Engineering Consultant and,
Author of The Dragon's Fury Series
How current conditions could lead to World War

August 1, 2003
Emmett, Idaho

[Warhammer]

Nice article ping.

[Jeff Head]

Thanks. Posted it a couple of years ago and thought it was time for another go 'round.

[snowsislander]

Right now, we are letting those who do not practice, or intend to ever practice, those fundamental principles, have tremendous sway on our economic welfare and the free market...and it is corrupting it.

Yes, the Australia situation with Mr. Chen's asylum limbo seems to be an instance of the sway of the CCP's economic power. I think China's economic power is having an effect in a number of countries.

The Russians never really had two pennies to rub together; their subsidies to tiny Cuba barely kept the place running. But we are making the Chinese wealthy enough that they can provide real money and real benefits to countries like Argentina.

[Jeff Head]

Exactly.

[hedgetrimmer]

Would you please put me on your bump list?

Thanks.

[Jeff Head]

Be happy to. I'll BUMP you on the last couple of threads I have posted as well.

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

could I be on your bump list, too?? :) thanks!

[Jeff Head]

No prob. Happy to do so. I will BUMP those other threads to your attention too.

[Jeff Head]

Here's an older thread that talks about some of the root causes that are contributing to the Chinese military buildup IMHO, among other things.

[wita]

Thanks for the ping. I have always been a proponent of fair trade, which should encompass all you have said, but proves difficult to achieve due to the "deal with the devil" so what you end up with is free trade which is only free for a certain few who have no principle in fair trade. Hope I've got it right.

[wita]

Thanks couldn't think of how I wanted to phrase it. You did it well. There is a lot of read in, hidden language, unspoken thought, in the words "sweat shop". Much of the hidden, secret, unspoken words are meant to form an unflattering picture not necessarily related to reality.

[wita]

So much for the account of the one you were responding to. Reasoned response to whacko in 319/320 who's account has been suspended. PS congrats on a thread moving so fast I can't keep up.

[Nowhere Man]

Hey, I'll drink to that, well said.

[Nowhere Man]

Do you support nuking China?

If it came down to it, I would nuke Red China. The criteria for that is if they would get into a position to where if they would be a threat huge enough to threaten our well being, if they attack an ally (say Japan or Taiwan), or if they launch on us or one is imminent. That is a loaded question but let's put it this way, I'd keep "nuking Red China" on the table as a last resort. Don't forget, we had the same policy with the USSR.

[wita]

Oh, and not to mention seven days late. Thought I'd never finish. Just shows what can happen when you start following links.

[Nowhere Man]

HOWEVER:
Untrammeled capitalism is evil, period.

You MUST ask yourself if you are climbing over anyone's back to make good.

Unless there is someone here who thinks it is good that little kids work 16 hour days for a pittance in sweat-shops in SE Asia so that Walmart can sell cheap T-shirts?

There are people who would have that happen here, if they could get by with it.

Ebaneezer Scrooge is alive and well today.

Well said and I agree with you 1000%. That's another one of my arguements too. One piece of advice, perpare to be called a "commie" by the free trade, Ayn Rand crowd though, you're gonnaget it. B-) Then again, there are times you do have to slaughter a few sacred cows to get at the truth. Myself, like you, I see capitalism and free markets as a good idea but we must apply Judeo-Christian morally to them.

Love your tagline, myself I've always seen myself as a "Victorian guy trapped in the 21st Century." B-)

[tiamat]

I get called a commie all of the time.

Usually by the Free Traitors.


Thank you for the compliment on the tag-line!

:-)

[Nowhere Man]

Not even The Republic nor The Constitution Nor even the local Congregation . . . but GOD ALONE! as the song goes.

I'm coming to that conclusion myself.

[Quix]

Actually, it's strengthening and deepening my relationship with God.

It's ALWAYS been a dellusion that we could even breathe apart from God's grace, sanction and enablement.

But we have been artists for millenia at convincing ourselves that we were varying degrees of mostly self-sufficient.

HE WILL HAVE a TRIED people--as through the gold refiner's furnace 7 times etc. Thankfully, HE IS MORE THAN WORTH IT. And Eternity with Him certainly is.

So, with Paul--to die is gain--to live is Christ. Just as long as I'm with Him and He's with/in me. Increasingly absolutely nothing else matters this side of eternity--or the other side.

Have been working at paring down my 'stuffs.' Want to be able to walk out the door with my backpack or even just out of a shower IF God so decrees--and NOT LOOK BACK.

GOD ALONE, INDEED.

He IS our all sufficiency. Whether quail or manna in the desert and water from THE ROCK. He IS and will be the all sufficiency of ALL WHO EARNESTLY, AUTHENTICLY TRUST IN HIM.

Alas, I think many will get more bruises than necessary because they have refused to practice LISTENING TO AND OBEYING !HIS VOICE! Certainly memorizing Scripture will also be life and help in months to come.

Thanks for your kind reply.

[Quix]

Though certainly I still work for the preservation of as many shredds of the Constitution as seems fitting to bother about at this late point in the march and crush of the tyrannical global government.

The biggest truth is,

THIS IS NOT MY HOME. I was made for much larger spheres.

Glad you were, too.