Let’s get real for a moment people. NAFTA benefits all of you even though you don’t know it. The cost, to society, of propping up local industry with tariffs and taxes is more then the benefit to the few workers whose jobs are protected.
One good example was the American steel industry upon which my company was heavily dependent. The steel industry convinced congress to get them import taxes and tariffs which cost everyone else who bought the steel extra money and that trickled down to the consumer. It was eventually shown that it would have been cheaper for the American public to pay each steel worker $45K (back in the 90s) a year to not produce steel so that price of steel could settle at it’s natural price point.
And Reagan’s trickle down theory works as long as you have a marketable skill. Given the educational opportunities in this country there is no reason to not have a marketable skill.And Yet – I sat at a Graduation last December and watched my Daughter earn her Masters at the top of her class and sit next to a bunch of kids who had gotten degrees in General Studies. That isn’t Reagan’s fault. That is the fault of Parents, Teachers, and Guidance counselors that all taught these kids – Get a College Degree and there will be a job waiting for you. All the while, I’m teaching my kids – Get a College degree in a difficult field and make sure you get good grades along the way…Oh and involve yourself in school and community activities that will allow you to develop additional skills and contacts that will help you in your career. Do any of you see the subtle difference?
I agree that the US government has been a terrible negotiator in these talks and needs to do a lot more to get US citizens a fair deal – But it isn’t fair to tell a third world country “You can do business with us as long as you prop up your Unions just like us, and manage your environment just like us and burden your industry with regulations that not even every American agrees with”. You may think it will work but what will happen is those countries will sell to third parties and still get their goods and services in here.
Free trade benefits ALL of us by improving access to goods and services for consumers and improving access to markets for producers.
Let’s get real for a moment people. NAFTA benefits all of you even though you don’t know it. The cost, to society, of propping up local industry with tariffs and taxes is more then the benefit to the few workers whose jobs are protected.
One good example was the American steel industry upon which my company was heavily dependent. The steel industry convinced congress to get them import taxes and tariffs which cost everyone else who bought the steel extra money and that trickled down to the consumer. It was eventually shown that it would have been cheaper for the American public to pay each steel worker $45K (back in the 90s) a year to not produce steel so that price of steel could settle at it’s natural price point.
And Reagan’s trickle down theory works as long as you have a marketable skill. Given the educational opportunities in this country there is no reason to not have a marketable skill.And Yet – I sat at a Graduation last December and watched my Daughter earn her Masters at the top of her class and sit next to a bunch of kids who had gotten degrees in General Studies. That isn’t Reagan’s fault. That is the fault of Parents, Teachers, and Guidance counselors that all taught these kids – Get a College Degree and there will be a job waiting for you. All the while, I’m teaching my kids – Get a College degree in a difficult field and make sure you get good grades along the way…Oh and involve yourself in school and community activities that will allow you to develop additional skills and contacts that will help you in your career. Do any of you see the subtle difference?
I agree that the US government has been a terrible negotiator in these talks and needs to do a lot more to get US citizens a fair deal – But it isn’t fair to tell a third world country “You can do business with us as long as you prop up your Unions just like us, and manage your environment just like us and burden your industry with regulations that not even every American agrees with”. You may think it will work but what will happen is those countries will sell to third parties and still get their goods and services in here.
Free trade benefits ALL of us by improving access to goods and services for consumers and improving access to markets for producers.