DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Tea Party: Throwing Free Trade Overboard?

**romalama** · 11-14-2010, 05:55 PM

I think what confuses us is that "free trade" isn't really free. Many countries subsidize their products which puts them below market value, and allows them to beat American goods in our own back yard. If they charged a price based on the actual cost to produce and ship them to us we would be much more competetive.

Yeah, and in some cases they subsidize people too.

There's huge disparities in living standards and relative costs. These make for fat margins, but they aren't going to deliver American jobs.

I am aware that's not the point of a business.. However, the domestic market doesn't belong to business. It belongs to Americans and is governed via their Representatives. (Then again, so do our borders and immigration policy, in theory) If they don't see free trade delivering on some of the promises that have been made, they're liable to support its curtailment.

Further: There's TONS we could do from the legislative and regulatory side to ease the burden on American business and make them more competitive. We refuse to contemplate any of this and expect FED policy to just drive everything like a giant gear shift.

11-14-2010, 05:55 PM	#3
romalama Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 400 Senior Member	I think what confuses us is that "free trade" isn't really free. Many countries subsidize their products which puts them below market value, and allows them to beat American goods in our own back yard. If they charged a price based on the actual cost to produce and ship them to us we would be much more competetive. Yeah, and in some cases they subsidize people too. There's huge disparities in living standards and relative costs. These make for fat margins, but they aren't going to deliver American jobs. I am aware that's not the point of a business.. However, the domestic market doesn't belong to business. It belongs to Americans and is governed via their Representatives. (Then again, so do our borders and immigration policy, in theory) If they don't see free trade delivering on some of the promises that have been made, they're liable to support its curtailment. Further: There's TONS we could do from the legislative and regulatory side to ease the burden on American business and make them more competitive. We refuse to contemplate any of this and expect FED policy to just drive everything like a giant gear shift.
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