Free trade

[Nraman]

It sounds great, cool, who doesn't like freedom?
What are the results? Look around you, NYC mayor warns of riots if things don't improve. People are suffering.
We are going broke while one of our worst potential enemies is building up and getting stronger every day with our money.
We can buy cheap imports and that's great, what about the consequences? Is the cheap price worth the destruction of our industry
and transfer of our technologies and jobs overseas?
When we say free, what are we thinking? What is free in the US? Agriculture is not free, it is controlled and subsidized. Oil is not free,
it is controlled by the OPEC and the US government that doesn't allow domestic oil production. Corporations get all kinds of sweet deals from the government,
a US manufacturer is not free to produce unless they comply with all kinds of regulations other nations don't have to.
Bottom line what is so great with the so called free trade that so many love? If it is good for us, is it a good choice the way it is done? Are we better off doing what the founding fathers did who protected our domestic industry and created a great nation, or "free trade" with all the consequences?
All opinions welcome.

 

[dutchwrangler]

Free trade works if it's fair trade. Every transaction you or I make at the store is free trade. We both mutually benefit. The problem with free trade is that government is involved which destroys the entire premise...

 

[Biggsly]

I would love to buy all "American made" products. The problem is that in America, there is some "elements" that have forced prices up beyond where they should be. You have one place that can build a car for $35 and hour, while another place has forced wages up to $75 an hour. That cost everyone money. I try to buy American, but I can't always do so.

 

[dutchwrangler]

The only element that drives up prices is government. Their constant meddling with regulations and mandates is passed on to the consumer. There isn't a business in the US that pays taxes.

 

[tran]

Does anyone remember Ross Perot? He told Bill Clinton, DO NOT sing the free trade agreement. He said if Mr. Clinton did sign the agreement American Business would all go south. What Happen? He was correct!

Dirty Politicians have just about killed this country for SELF Interest!

 

[Biggsly]

The only element that drives up prices is government. Their constant meddling with regulations and mandates is passed on to the consumer. There isn't a business in the US that pays taxes.

I would not go that far. When we owned our BBQ place, I paid out the azz. I felt like uncle Sam made more then I did.

 

[dutchwrangler]

I would not go that far. When we owned our BBQ place, I paid out the azz. I felt like uncle Sam made more then I did.

Incorrect. Your customer paid a higher price for the product you sold. You rolled the tax into that final price. The end consumer always pays the tax.

 

[tran]

Incorrect. Your customer paid a higher price for the product you sold. You rolled the tax into that final price. The end consumer always pays the tax.

Your are correct! What happens next it the business moves overseas where they can compete, because we have been priced out of the market due Higher Wages, Taxes, Government regulations(OSHA, EPA, and having to meet standards that overseas Mfg's don't.) insurance premium.

Who Wins? China, Mexico, Japan, India, Everyone but the American workers.

 

[dutchwrangler]

Your are correct! What happens next it the business moves overseas where they can compete, because we have been priced out of the market due Higher Wages, Taxes, Government regulations(OSHA, EPA, and having to meet standards that overseas Mfg's don't.) insurance premium.

Who Wins? China, Mexico, Japan, India, Everyone but the American workers.

Yes and no. Although the manufacturing jobs move out, the goods come back to the US eventually. The dollars we pay for those cheaper goods then go overseas where they are worthless to the holder. The holder isn't going to sit on them so they either buy goods we do manufacture or they loan it to us. Incidently, the US still is the top manufacturer of the world producing roughly 20% of the global output. Government polices do get in the way. In my industry (trucking), government regulation and taxation can't be outsourced to other capital friendly countries. Those cost are added to shipping charges to the end consumer. I read recently where the Canadian government has reduced it's corporate tax rate to 15%. US companies that can are considering moving operations to there now. In that case a few trucking companies are in the position to move as they have Canadian subsideries up there to handle transborder trucking traffic.

 

[tRidiot]

The only element that drives up prices is government. Their constant meddling with regulations and mandates is passed on to the consumer. There isn't a business in the US that pays taxes.

Disagree.