Free Trade Policies

When it comes to the presidential candidates, bernie and trump are obviously the establishment outsiders that aren't liked by the leaders of their party, and though I hate mostly all of trumps positions on things like continuing more war and giving tax breaks to the rich, he actually is on the right side of trade policies and that is where he agrees with sanders, while Hillary of course supported policies like TTP or NAFTA. The video is just a run down of trade policies and exactly how they can coast us tons of American jobs.

Excellent video! Thanks for posting it.
It explains the problem very well.

As for Trump - he keeps talking about "bringing jobs back" and imposing tariffs on imports.....is he meaning to cut taxes on the rich but make up for the difference by taxing imported goods?

I don't understand all of his policy reasonings yet (does anyone?). I'm trying to wrap my head around what this next year will mean for our country - if this regime change happens.

Clinton would be "more of the same", I gather from her; Trump would make some pronounced moves (whether Congress backs him or not is quite dubious - in fact, the GOP is trying so hard to pretend he doesn't exist that I really, really have a hard time imagining those legislators - on either side! - going along with him. Ever.).

He will be even lamer than Obama.....in terms of Congressional respect
but then, so would Cruz have been - being equally despised and actually a 'known' loathsome quantity. Maybe everyone would warm up to Trump (as he has certainly changed his "tone" since being crowned 'presumptive nominee'), but Clinton's fan base is pretty stagnant and stable, I'd say.

If it comes down to them, as an Independent voter I'm not sure who I'd vote for (if anyone).
That's assuming there's no 3rd party on offer.....

if Bernie decides to run Independent, I will vote for him. In fact, that might well be his strategy. He is going to keep drilling until the convention, and he's going to drill at the convention, too....he has said as such. Does he have much to say about foreign trade? I don't know. I don't think he's focused on foreign policy, whether trade or diplomatic/military relations. I think he's focusing on OUR OWN DOMESTIC ISSUES.

Which is what I and millions of other people think should be done, and have been saying so since 2008. Screw Israel - they can put on their big-boy pants now!! - and off-shored US corporations SHOULD be taxed heavily if they are using foreign slave-labor!! Whether they are HQ here or not - whatever portion of their product is being produced elsewhere should have a financial consequence (disadvantage). If only the quality here were better.

Anyway - those are my random thoughts after watching the video.
I was in agreement with NAFTA, and actually think it's okay - but branching out from there was stupid.

To think we could have a unified North America now, after all these decades (which seems the wisest thing to me), but we don't - and now our jobs are gone....makes me very disheartened. Would we even need to "trade" with the Eastern Hemisphere at all? Do we really have to?
I actually remember when goods from abroad were 'precious' commodities - exotic, expensive, unusual, and admirable acquisitions.

People paid "luxury taxes" at that time - seeing an item from Indonesia was like reading National Geographic - but now, factories fall on and kill Bangladeshi peasants. Makes imported goods seem less savory.

BUMP! Hey, ATS - free trade policies...that's what we're talking about here.

Please contribute. It's virtually impossible that none of you have an opinion or a reasoning/conclusion about Free Trade Policies.

Bump bump, wink wink, nudge nudge......

HeLLLOOoo!!!

Anyone?

So - does that mean DimensionalChange03 (the OP) and I win?
Wow. Shortest important discussion ever.

I am not impressed with them. I have lost 2 jobs in my life because the companies decided to move to Mexico since NAFTA was passed.

a reply to: Blueracer

Yes, my husband was out of work for over a year - his industry was hit hard (IT). He works daily with people in Asia (Thai, Chinese, Indian) and other places, and there is a cultural/language barrier thing --- but that's not the point of the thread entirely.

American jobs were outsourced. Companies "downsized." We got shafted.

The Service Industry is still alive and well, and that's because no 'automation' or 'robotic' or 'tech' thing can replace it.
Any "robots" developed to do so will be novelties. I predict the human race would very soon tire of having 'robots' and 'machines' take care of their every whim.

We actually need human social connection.

This is a very complex issue to argue.

In many cases free trade is beneficial and as a Libertarian you argue that any impedance of trade upon the private citizen is immoral a priori. In other cases free trade policies, particularly where it is trade in raw materials, is harmful for that economy.

It really depends on the specific circumstances and who the trading partners are and what the trade agreement parameters are regarding those partners.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Exactly! I do barter stuff with a handful of people - we talk, agree on a deal, and proceed.
I'm fine with that.
What I'm not fine with is the employers dumping "more expensive" human resources (yep! That term HR really does mean something!) who have exquisitely rich skill, experience, wisdom, and enthusiasm and hiring these upstart 22s fresh out of college.

There is a dearth of respect for elders, for the accumulated knowledge of the 'counterculture' Baby Boomers - and the tragedy is that it is OTHER BABY BOOMERS who are doing it to us! They sack us, and then hire a bunch of fresh-faced, just-off-the-stage college grads...who know next to nothing about real life....

It sucks.

Well.

So.

Unfortunately, ATS is unable to keep a thread about Foreign/Free Trade Policy on the boards. Either too complicated, or too boring, or too irrelevant to people's lives. ???? Or too unimportant, I guess.....?


That is a real shame, and a real indication of what issues actually matter to our membership.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs

Unfortunately, ATS is unable to keep a thread about Foreign/Free Trade Policy on the boards. Either too complicated, or too boring, or too irrelevant to people's lives. ???? Or too unimportant, I guess.....?

Well, the Original Post could have been a bit more engaging, it was just pointing out which politicians support which policies and did not really have any personal viewpoints to spur conversation.

Where does the Original Poster stand on the various trade agreements and their specific details?

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Where does the Original Poster stand on the various trade agreements and their specific details?

Beats the hell outa me!

Anyway - was just trying to give him a boost, ya know.
Hillary has supposedly now proclaimed she is against the TPP for sure, though!



Clinton Commits: No Trans-Pacific Partnership

Going into the West Virginia primary, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has come out in opposition to a "lame duck" vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This takes her beyond her previous statements mildly opposing TPP. Clinton also made a strong statement criticizing our country's trade agreements in general.

What's really interesting, though, is how Donald talks about bringing jobs back....how he can talk about that while his own products are being assembled in 3rd-world and developing countries is beyond my comprehension, but I'm listening.
His whole schtick is about saying whatever.

I bet he really can't even hardly believe how this all turned out - and it's a real 'riot' in the entertainment sense that the GOP is coming totally unglued finally. This was predicted by moi after the midterms...and the prior five years of obstructionist Green Eggs and Ham rhetoric.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

I think both parties are coming unhinged. Sanders would not be still running Hillary ragged if it were not for a huge amount of Democratic dissatisfaction with her, the Clinton history and her pandering policy stances.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Totally agree - and that's why I'm so glad Bernie is still going to pursue her - right up until 2020 and beyond.
He has struck a chord with a huge number of people - he's not going to fade into the woodwork.

Free trade benefits the owning class, and punishes peasants.

If you own retail, then you want free trade. If you are a worker, or own raw materials in a developed state, you don't.


Free trade is actually a myth. Nations SAY they are practicing free trade; but it is always free trade in their own favor.. I believe that trump is right in that US companies will favor a free trade deal if it benefits their company, while China only practices free trade when it serves their national agenda. Free traders have a huge problem with "America first." They are as allergic to that as Hillary is to the phrase "islamist extremist."

Free Trade is just the new name for mercantilism; forcing developing nations to open their markets to finished/tech good from North America and Europe; and paying for them with the only capital they have--cheap labor and cheap exploitable resources. We'll give you smart phones, but you give us cheap food and slave-labor toys.