Overall, has NAFTA been good or bad?

[GeorgiaAvenger]

I understand that there are some serious sovereignty problems, environmental and worker rights provisions, etc. but hasn't NAFTA(and other similar agreements) helped the U.S. economy through free trade?

 

[FauxCapitalist]

Overall trade has gone up, even when you adjust for the amount it would've gone up anyway.

However, Paul Craig Roberts has pointed out since 2004, a theoretical flaw underlying all these trade deals nowadays, which I wrote about here.

http://fauxcapitalist.com/2011/08/2...eoretical-breakdown-of-modern-day-free-trade/

Free trade is based on David Ricardo's theory of comparative advantage, and for his theory to be valid, the factors of production (including labour and capital), have to be as mobile as the goods being produced.

However, since the end of the Cold War, with previously vast unproductive labour pools in India and China being freed up, and the rise of instantaneous global communications, financial transactions and the Internet -- labour and capital are now MORE mobile than the goods being produced.

But it seems that most economists don't know about the breakdown of the conditions that justified free trade, or they don't care.

 

[LibertyEagle]

Go here and type in NAFTA in the search term box in the upper right hand corner: www.mises.org

 

[satchelmcqueen]

nafta helped take my great levis job in 2002. it is bad.

 

[thoughtomator]

NAFTA is an unmitigated disaster for the USA.

 

[GeorgiaAvenger]

nafta helped take my great levis job in 2002. it is bad.

Because of lack of tariffs or something else?

 

[phill4paul]

One cannot impose regulations on one's own industry and allow trade with countries unfettered by these same regulations. This is NAFTA, CAFTA and every 'Free-Trade' agreement allowed by our government.

 

[John F Kennedy III]

Watch the documentary United We Fall by Press For Truth.

 

[Kodaddy]

Ross Perot had some pretty prescient ideas about it...

 

[lilymc]

Bad.

 

[FrankRep]

Ron Paul is anti-NAFTA.

 

[John F Kennedy III]

Ross Perot had some pretty prescient ideas about it...

"Giant sucking sound"

 

[The_Ruffneck]

nafta helped take my great levis job in 2002. it is bad.

I understand they make a high end Levis sub brand in the US again now? the price was steep though at around 160 a pair last i checked.

 

[The_Ruffneck]

One cannot impose regulations on one's own industry and allow trade with countries unfettered by these same regulations. This is NAFTA, CAFTA and every 'Free-Trade' agreement allowed by our government.

I don't agree with free trade but if you do put in a free trade system you NEED ultra low taxes to be competitive.
Frothy Santorum is right , costs for manufacturers in USA are way too high , shame he's a total loon on almost every other policy.0% tax on manufacturing cos that make their stuff locally would be a great idea.