Obama waffles, Republicans stand strong, and both hurt the American Worker

Free Trade, in my humble opinion, is killing this country. It is at least killing off the Middle Class that have made this country strong and that most of us belong to. There are always complaints that Obama wants to redistribute wealth. Republicans are always against this. And yet, Free Trade at its core, is a grand redistribution of wealth. It holds that by virtue of comparative advantage each country will develop specialty areas and everyone will be better off for it. The theory is that developing nations will improve their standard of living to come up to the level that is already enjoyed by developed nations.
In reality there are a fixed amounts of wealth and resources in the world. The U.S. had more wealth than other countries, held by its population, and now it is being spread out around the world. IF Obama had come up with and run on it we would call it treason and shout that he needed to be removed on the basis of this action alone. But Free Trade schemes (and yes, my phrasing shows my bias) have been put forward by both political parties. And, Obama actually used to say that he was at least somewhat against them.
No longer apparently.

More Free Trade, and fewer jobs, headed your way

Congress could vote any day now to strike a new blow against already-battered U.S. workers and the unemployed.In the three years since Obama wooed voters with talk of bold changes in trade policy, the need for reforms has reached crisis proportions. The global economic crisis left the United States with skyrocketing un- and under-employment rates.The full-court press on the FTAs represents a reversal for a president elected on a trade reform platform. During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama proclaimed his opposition to the NAFTA-style FTAs and boasted of his stance against the devastating North American and Central American agreements. As candidate Obama, he carefully distanced himself from the open-market, pro-corporate policies of his predecessor, calling for significant changes to the NAFTA model, including enforceable labor and environmental standards, and consumer protections. The Economic Policy Institute calculates that the South Korean FTA alone will cost 159,000 U.S. jobs. Department of Commerce data shows that over the past decade of free trade policy multinational corporations cut their U.S. workforce by 2.9 million and increased overseas employment by 2.4 million.

And here I thought our Congress was devoting their time (on both sides of the aisle) to improving the U.S. economy and bringing more jobs. When will I stop being so naive?

I know that there are those out there who still believe that Free Trade is the way. But they are not the majority of Americans.
Most Americans Against Free Trade as they think it hurts the U.S.

NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows that 69 percent of Americans believe free trade agreements with other countries have cost jobs in the United States, while just 18 percent believe they have created jobs. A 53 percent majority—up from 46 percent three years ago and 30 percent in 1999—believes that trade agreements have hurt the nation overall.

Now I understand that just because the majority doesn't think something is a good idea doesn't mean that they are correct. However, given the sheer numbers of Americans who are opposed it would seem like our government could at least pay some attention to our concerns instead of furthering what most of us view to be a harmful policy. Oh, there's that darn naivety again! Nasty habit. I really must get rid of it.

It surprises me too that Republicans hold this out there. Under what I consider to be the misguided belief that Free Trade helped everyone to improve their lives, I could understand if the Democrats pushed it. But why the Republicans? I guess because it is good for business. Or at least, certain, huge multinational corporations.
But there are very successful business people who are not in favor of straight up Free Trade. Namely, yes, you guessed it. The Donald!

Donald Trump for FAIR Trade, not Free Trade

In January, Trump complained to talk radio's Michael Savage that Americans "no longer make things" and in March told a CNN interviewer, "Nobody, other than OPEC, is ripping off the United States like China." In the CNN interview, Trump also said that China "is stealing all our jobs" and "making all our products." He advocated "a 25 percent tax on products that come into the United States."

I understand that imposing tariffs on incoming items will make them more expensive. I also understand that in these hard economic times nobody wants to pay more for their goods. However, I am somewhat fearful that if we don't start protecting Amercian Workers by making American made goods more competitive on the shelf, there will be even more people out of work and eventually none of us will be able to afford goods. Even cheap, freely traded ones. American companies have and continue to be hard hit. In Novemberr of 2010 Ford tried to get the word out.

Free Trade hurts Ford at home and abroad

Ford Motor Company ran an ad Thursday in more than 20 newspapers speaking out against the Korea Free Trade Agreement. Ford says the agreement puts American automakers at a severe disadvantage in Korea.

And what makes it all even worse is that so called Free Trade often doesn't follow the formula that is supposed to define it. Some countries give subsidies to some of their industries. That subsidy allows them to price their products super cheaply. Competitors are left in the dust. South Korea subsidizes their auto industry. Across the board South Korean subsidies have been picking up for the past decade.
www.tradingeconomics.com...

We have also given subsidies (Alabama) to foreign companies because they have built plants and brought jobs. I have mixed feelings on that one. Also, in the interest of full disclosure the U.S. does subsidize corn which is undercutting Mexican farmers and causing a loss of biodiversity in corn crops. And corn is quite arguably one of the most important crops of all time.

How much longer will this go on? I had (oh, no, NAIVELY) thought that watching the slow melt down of the Euro Zone might have slowed us from our economic entanglements. But no. We continue full speed ahead with the support of both parties. Is there any one who really cares about America anymore? Well, let me rephrase that because of course there are people that care about America and her people. But are any of them elected to represent us?

How do we fix this ATS?

How do we fix this ATS?

Hit the reset button and start over?
There is no one answer it seems, the entrenchment of current systems and the unwillingness to change or modify the systems keeps everything locked in a downward spiral. Why can't capitalism adopt a little socialism without being called socialism, and vice versa? Also, no one wants to give up anything, and even if they did, they can't trust anything to be carried out altruistically. Trust and transparency have gone and left us in an empty vacuum of despair.
Ideology should not trump common sense, but the animosity in the game only fortifies egos and non-cooperation. I am no Obama fan, but he has to deal with child like antics from the current gop positions. Life is not black and white, either or....there has to be compromise, but all we get are petty attitudes and blaming from both sides.

spec

How do we fix this ATS?

Simple like good little sheep we listen to the elites tell how good this is for us. All the while people starve because they want to make a few extra million a year. Or we could just have a revolution.

The problem isn't just free trade, it is also free market concepts, as the two are essentially the same. Essentially under the current system, the U.S. middle class is paying for the exportation of their jobs, or more accurately, the cost of exporting our jobs is being billed to the next generation.

I only see a mention of Obama looking to increase exports. Hardly makes him an advocate of the huge trade treaty give away GW and company cooked up.

An important part of the U.S. government's responsibilities, is to negotiate trade agreements for the people of the U.S., not the ICs, who the free market/free trade people support.

reply to post by poet1b


Its not free trade or free markets that have killed the US. It is corruption, greed, and monopoly of International corp. That have not only killed the jobs but also also killing the people. Get past all the double speak and get a hold of some facts. Then come to a realization this has all been planned and is now being carried out. Get rid of the Eugenics club of people with John P. Haldren being opnly one of them and the finances and markets will take care of themselves.

reply to post by redrose123


People like John P. Haldren, Harry Kissenger along with their cronies should be arrested and charged with crimes against humanity along with the RICO Act and treason. Then the people can get on with making a living and raising their families. Our financial crisis will come to a stop you can't fix something when it is being deliberately destroyed.

you cant fix it you have too many cooks in the kitchen so to speak.

those who push for globalization and those who push for government intervention to those who want benefits and pay beyond what the market dictates.

thats why america is suffering you cant fix it because one group of people will blame all the rich greedy corporations instead of letting competition greed and stupdity weed itself out of the marketplace.

if you want to begin to fix the economy or the american worker alot of things need to happen and i do mean alot.

government needs to get out of it and their regulations their taxes the unions and the lawyers the insurances companies and a whole myraid of other elements people just cant seem the fathom.

free trade and free market is the absence of government andfspecial interest until people admit to that there is no hope to even begin to save the american worker.

a massive push to end globalization will also need to happen until people get on board to those forget it the american worker is doomed and it is a fate made by greed:

the governments greed and lust for control and the workers greed and lust for what they say is "fair pay and benefits".

business is business and the people who control and try to control business have no clue how business works in this country

reply to post by neo96


Then you would have to say the same about ,most of the rest of the world. Their economys are faring any better. How is it the planet is suffering the same problems if there isn't a same reason. Answer it is deliberately being done.Sometimes the answer isn't as complicated as we try to make it. You can't see the forrest for the trees. Deny Deny Deny all you want but it doesn't make it go away.

reply to post by neo96


Oh gee, the poor poor rich people, getting screwed over by the working class. GOD, we must rally to defend the poor hopeless filthy rich people on the planet.

Yeah, right!

Only someone completely programmed by propaganda nonsense could post such nonsense.

So lets get this straight, it is the U.S. workers who are greedy, and have destroyed our economy, not the super rich bankers, who pulled all the crooked scams who are responsible.

reply to post by redrose123


We would be much better off getting rid of every politician who repeats the free market con job.

If the politician isn't calling for government to do its job, and throw all the white collar criminals in jail, and make them pay massive fines for their crimes, then don't support the crook.

reply to post by poet1b


yeah they are when they cant see the bigger picture of their actions and choices have done.

rich people can pick up and leave the country at any given time and they have and now whose crying about it?

when they want more government control over a system that is causing the problems.

reply to post by neo96


Let em pick up and leave, hope the door hits em in the kiester on the way out.

The rich create nothing. They wrap up the real entrepreneurs, who develop the new technologies and markets, in a web of legal and banking scams, and cheap them out of their money.

Look at what JP Morgan and Westinghouse did to Thomas Edison. You won't see that taught in school.

reply to post by poet1b


oh wow dude its not worth it feel free to keep up that blind bigotry

Originally posted by poet1b
reply to post by neo96

 

Let em pick up and leave, hope the door hits em in the kiester on the way out.

The rich create nothing. They wrap up the real entrepreneurs, who develop the new technologies and markets, in a web of legal and banking scams, and cheap them out of their money.

Look at what JP Morgan and Westinghouse did to Thomas Edison. You won't see that taught in school.

While I agree with you, Edison deserved it after what he did to Tesla.

reply to post by neo96

the governments greed and lust for control and the workers greed and lust for what they say is "fair pay and benefits".

Why the quack do you ALWAYS blame the gov and let the corporations go free? Who the heck do you think makes the decisions to outsource jobs? Those that are trying to make a heavy buck! Who does not pay their fair share of taxes? Corporations(the big ones). Who has off shore tax havens?
I am not saying the gov has no responsibility in this but it is awfully tiresome seeing some of you ALWAYS come on here with liberal and gov this and that. Your angle is incomplete and disingenuous and only continues to divide people! It is not ALL THE GOV fault man! Geez...
Yea let's free up regulations too, because the nature of man will always lead us to the right arena of equality and fairness.
I usually don't get involved with political discussions because of their futility, but you have acknowledged in the past that the divisiveness in all this mess is detrimental to the people, yet you constantly blame and finger point! Isn't that hypocritical?
I agree that globalization should stop too, but the efforts and design come from BOTH sides of the aisle, and gov/corps ya know! I really hate to think there are people on here with agendas, but the adamancy of your position and tone make me suspicious.
You are probably chuckling that you got under my skin today, and hey that's alright, but sometimes I just can't sit by and watch you attack so one sidedly. THAT is part of the problem yo!

reply to post by aching_knuckles


Edison didn't do anything to Tesla, but disagree with him.

And one bad act does not justify another. It was out and out robbery, and it goes on all the time. Edison is only one example.

In a way I see blaming the workers for our current problems. The workers supported unions when it meant better wages. I grew up in Detroit (used to be the Motor City) I could walk from my house and pass five or six car plants before I needed a break. Now there are none. Why? Because unions kept wanting more and more. The more the workers earn the more the unions earn. $42.00 an hour for a janitor? Really? And now we want to blame the owners of the companies for moving to other countries?

Break the unions, end NAFTA/CAFTA, establish a council for workers rights (safety, hours, environment) made up by actual workers, an establish a required wage for skilled / unskilled labor.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist

Why can't capitalism adopt a little socialism without being called socialism, and vice versa?

We did, it was called the bailout.

It seems like everything is going backwards.

reply to post by Seiko

Touche' on that! Privatize profits and socialize debt. Sounds convenient, but not sensible.

spec