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What the World Is Hearing
But both candidates surely know that no one is really paying attention to their policy papers on the topic. It is their general attitude and rhetoric that matter. And on this crucial topic they are pandering to the worst instincts of Americans, encouraging a form of xenophobia and chauvinism and validating the utterly self-defeating idea of protectionism.
I know, I know. This is all about the Democratic primaries in states like Ohio and the support of unions. But you can't target these messages so easily anymore. What is said in Ohio is heard in Ghana and Bangladesh and Colombia as well. And isn't the point of leadership to educate and elevate people, not to pander and drag them into the swamp of ignorance and fear? There is a way to speak about the pain of globalization—and about the need for investments in retraining, education, health care and infrastructure—so that we can both compete but also absorb the shocks of a changing global economy. Unfortunately that is not what the Democratic candidates are talking about.
I'm not even sure that protectionist rhetoric works that well in a general election. Americans like optimists. They want leaders who look out at the world and see broad, sunlit uplands. Railing against Mexicans, Chinese and Indians for stealing American jobs smacks of anger, paranoia and fear of the future. Americans want hope, as Obama says, "hope in the face of difficulty, hope in the face of uncertainty, the audacity of hope." Where is that courage now?
© 2008
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Member Comments
Posted By: eddiewhere @ 03/25/2008 3:50:41 AM
Comment: THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT INDIA HAS BENEFITED TREMENDOUSLy FROM THE STATUS QUO. IT IS NOT IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO RE NEGOTIATE. CHEAp WAGES ARE HIGH WAGEs IN INDIA. A NEW AND powerful MIDDLE CLASS IS EMERGING IN INDIA. THEy LOVE BUSH. REMEMBER THE STUDy OF ECONOMICS IS NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE. WHAT IS A SERIOUS ECONOMIST?
A SERIOUS ECONOMISTS is one that believes that our jobs should be OUTSOURCED TO INDIA..
IT IS NOT LOW WAGES IN THOSE COUNTRIES that is the problem, it is the willingness of AMERICAN CORpORATIONS TO SELL OUT and outsource our jobs to INDIA. TECHNOLOGy HAS ALLOWED THEM TO DO THIS. CORpORATIONS find these countries profitabe because THEy AVOID ENVIORNMENTAL LAWS AND TAXES. LABOR is always the largest COST> the net loss of jobs is a sign that these trade agreements are leading us into depression.
INDIAN MULTINATIONAL interests have been a success because of low wages. FOR EXAMple CALL CENTERs. INDIANS LOVE CALL CENTERS.
THE STUDy OF ECONOMICS IS STILL EVOLVING> AND IS STILL IN THE STONE AGES IN TERMS OF BEING AN ACCEpTED SCIENCE.
CApITALISM WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE. NAFTA'S LABOR AND ENVIORNMENTAL STANDARDS MUST BE REFORMED. NOTHING REMAINS CONSTANT OR permanent, THIS IS A UNIVERSAL LAW AND HAS NO EXCEpTIONS. CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. THIS IS NOT THE CASTE S SySTEM. THE BASIC STRUCTURE OF THE AGREEMENT WILL REMAIN IN TACT. HOWEVER, there are issues INVOLVING NAFATA THAT ARE AFFECTING OUR ENVIORNMENT AND OUR FUTURE INTERESTS AS A NATION.
After trade agreements become effective, government lawyers continue to play an important role in assessing whether our foreign trading partners are complying with their obligations. When it seems they are not, we assist in consultations with the foreign governments to encourage compliance. If our consultations are unsuccessful, we advise on the application of domestic trade laws as well as assist USTR with the dispute settlement cases that may be brought under NAFTA and WTO. THE Federal government takes seriously the legal requirement and public policy goal that women, minorities and other disadvantaged persons be given an equal opportunity to succeed
Posted By: jp_california @ 03/15/2008 8:30:50 AM
Comment: .
Posted By: hillaryforpresident!!! @ 03/14/2008 11:04:15 AM
Comment: You reporters make me sick!!! In Ohio, you rubbed it in the publics' face and made Mrs. Clinton out to be a big-business snob because of her support of NAFTA, now you demonize her for saying that she wants to re-negotiate and make NAFTA better, but (and I heard her say it in the last debate) she wants to keep it and our neighbor Mexico desperately needs help building up their economy (hey and whoa that could really help with our immigration problem). We've exploited other countries for so long, it's about time we threw them a bone.
The irony is that money-hungry business owners are soooo consumed with profit at-all-costs that as soon as Mexico starts to build up their minimum wage, we outsource their jobs to Asia!!! Gotta love the American dream!!!
Anyway, back to Mrs. Clinton, I wouldn't comment about this or any other controversial topic either, because the media (especially Newsweek) has made her and her family into demons and no matter what she says you will find a way to make her look bad!!! I really hope that after you guys cost her the nomination she sues the sh*t out of you for biased political reporting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!