It's NAFTA's Fault! Why Don't They Talk About This and JOBS!

[Trigonx]

It is amazing that some here don't recognize that "free" trade is not the root problem, it is monetary policy. No matter how low wages go here, it will still be cheaper to print money and buy stuff from overseas; because we basically get everything for free. You restore sound money and the US would have no choice but to produce exports in order to make money.

ding!!! ding!! We have a winner!

 

[specsaregood]

I look forward to the day when a complete and total economic collapse happens to the US and the rest of the world cuts us dead beats off. Is That the point you were making?

Not really no, but at this point it seems you must be purposefully not seeing it. You are stuck on these protectionist ideas when free trade is NOT the problem and your ideas won't stop the hurt. If sound money was restored you too would welcome free trade.

 

[michaelwise]

Not really no, but at this point it seems you must be purposefully not seeing it. You are stuck on these protectionist ideas when free trade is NOT the problem and your ideas won't stop the hurt. If sound money was restored you too would welcome free trade.

I believe in protecting American jobs. Yes I do. And if it means protecting me from 50 cent an hour Chinese peasant wages, then so be it.

 

[specsaregood]

I believe in protecting American jobs. Yes I do. And if it means protecting me from 50 cent an hour Chinese peasant wages, then so be it.

Unfortunately your protectionist suggestions will have no real effect with our fiat monetary system in place. Focus on sound money and you'll get what you want.

 

[michaelwise]

Unfortunately your protectionist suggestions will have no real effect with our fiat monetary system in place. Focus on sound money and you'll get what you want.

A sound money wish is moot at this point. If Ron Paul was elected president, I would say we had a chance and it would have been a mild depression. Now we must endure a depression 3 times greater than the Great depression. Too fucking bad. Do you know we have a combined personal and national debt greater that 300 trillion dollars as we speak? I laugh at your ignorance of what that means? Remove Social Security that hides the true debt of the US and it gets me ROTFLMAO. http://www.usdebtclock.org/

 

[erowe1]

And let me just add; You would prefer America was brought down to the Chines peasant level first and then go from there?

No I wouldn't. In most respects we have more freedom than they do. But there are some, such as minimum wages and occupational safety standards, where we are worse off than they are. I want us to stay better than they are in all the ways we are and to fix those ways where we are worse. Getting rid of those regulations wouldn't hurt our economy, it would help it, especially the poor and unemployed.

 

[erowe1]

Ok, you have one valid example, but you can't pretend like that is a universal rule.

No, I have thousands and thousands of valid examples, because it really is a universal rule.

 

[erowe1]

If Americans stop buying their cheap shit, you will see revolt.

Engaging in trade with them, and thus saving their lives, doesn't prevent them from revolting. If they choose revolt over their current conditions they can. But they don't, they instead reckon that the consequences of revolution would be worse than the current conditions, conditions that would be worse if not for our trade with them. In other words, removing American trade would leave them with only 2 options, both of which they reckon to be worse than their present conditions: death, and revolt. So again, allowing us to trade with them makes them better off as they themselves define being better off, and their definition is the one that counts.

 

[BenIsForRon]

Erowe1, under the current conditions, how would the market not favor the company that takes advantage of oppressed people? Free people will never be the cheapest labor solution.

Besides, I've heard many say that China is on the verge of revolution anyway. People aren't seeing a high enough rise in their quality of life in return for how much work they are doing.

 

[erowe1]

Erowe1, under the current conditions, how would the market not favor the company that takes advantage of oppressed people?

I don't know. But isn't it a good thing when a company takes advantage of (i.e. hires) oppressed people? It's good for the company, it's good for those oppressed people, and it's good for those who purchase that company's products.

 

[jmdrake]

It is amazing that some here don't recognize that "free" trade is not the root problem, it is monetary policy. No matter how low wages go here, it will still be cheaper to print money and buy stuff from overseas; because we basically get everything for free. You restore sound money and the US would have no choice but to produce exports in order to make money.

My understanding is that NAFTA is not "free trade" but "managed trade". Is your understanding different?

On "free trade" versus "managed trade":

http://www.ronpaullibrary.org/document.php?id=866

 

[jmdrake]

Nobody talks about this, but NAFTA is also the reason why so many Mexicans are moving north. Many that are coming hear are peasant farmers. They lost their land because they couldn't compete with corn coming from subsidized commercial U.S. farms. And many don't qualify for the factory jobs in Mexico because they are illiterate.