Free Trade: Fight It, or Embrace It

firstdown · 02-25-2008, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

I haven't commented on this thread yet b/c I feel somewhat conflicted. My job security is high and, through it, I have an economic freedom that is enviable to many. As long as do nothing illegal or unethical, I am pretty much unfireable. With that kind of security, commenting on "big picture" and macro-economics seems, to me, somewhat high-handed.

With that said, I add my voice to the SGG and Schneed - Globalism is good b/c, ultimately it is about competition. While short term set backs are unfortunate and there are ALWAYS some who simply cannot, b/c of age, kids, education, or other circumstances, adequately compete when the paradigm shifts. For those, IMO, the US owes some protection through reeducation where possible, reemployment in an Alphabet program (i.e. some government work programs much like those of the depression).

NAFTA was ground breaking legislation that will ultimately reward the US. IMO, because the American worker is one of the hardest workers of the industrialized world (in terms of hours per week worked and annual vacation time), the US will ultimately come out ahead in any true free trade system. Despite our relentless consumerism, we will win any competition based on work = reward, b/c that is our national heritage. For generations, people have flocked to the US b/c, with a few obvious inefficiencies, the harder you work, the more innovative you are, the more likely you are to "succeed". As long as this paradigm is maintained, we have nothing to fear from globalization.

In addition, b/c we have been (and continue to be) a melting pot, the variety of influences in our society have created an adaptive economy. The countries now "exporting" cheap labor simply do not have either the infrastructure to compete with us in any way except by providing mass unskilled labor. Similarly, the asian economies run by government supervised capitalism (i.e. Japan and its MITI) or that have firmly entrenched and historical caste based societies simply do not have the long term flexibility that the US does in world market.

The rule of law and a commitment to competition as the paradigm allow the US to maintain a competitive advantage over the semi-socialist economies of western europe, the labor intensive third world economies, and the autocratic caste based economies of east asia.

You must be a public school teacher.