Hi again MM >Well, again, I tend to agree with some of what you're pointing out, >though I'm not sure I succeeded in making myself clear as to my own >point, which was sort of a narrow etemological one: > >A lot of the "free trade" talk comes from the Conservative >/Pro-Laissez-Faire camp, but it tends to be applied *only in >conversations about trade with other countries*. Why is this?
But isn't it just the terminology that changes? Domestically they call it deregulation or liberalization, don't they? As with energy supply in California, wonderful idea. But there certainly are many inconsistencies. "Free" trade, in the limited, deregulated sense, tends to be more than somewhat one-sided, with a lot of sheer protectionism at home. >I haven't heard an answer, or even seen anyone else who has even >noticed this. > >If one is to preach the virtues of this or that political science, one >would think that one's backyard is the most likely proving ground. If >one is to address questions of inter-country trade, then this involves >countries who not only might have different political-scientific >systems and laws, but over whom one has *much* less moral or political >right. Stiglitz (among many others) discusses this in the second article I reffed: http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/8835 The Way Ahead Nobel Prize Winner Joseph Stiglitz holds joint professorships at Columbia University's Economics Department, the School of International and Public Affairs, and the Business School. His forthcoming book, The Roaring Nineties: A New History of the World's Most Prosperous Decade, will be published by W.W. Norton & Co. in October. The following excerpt is from Globalization and Its Discontents, by Joseph E. Stiglitz, published by W.W. Norton & Co. in 2002. [more] Dean Baker at the Center for Economic and Policy Research often writes about the disparities and exceptions: http://www.cepr.net/ Center for Economic and Policy Research Also at: http://www.fair.org/err Economic Reporting Review >So, U.S.-ers end up ignoring any arguable abrogations of free trade >within their own borders (abrogations of patent rights for example, or >entrepeneurs bogged down under red tape, or routine criminal breach of >contract performed by large corporations that can get away with it, or >Billion Dollar ACcounting Frauds, or creations of black markets for >fuels and other goods, or needless cost added to certain goods (such >as ethanol)), and then we start preaching to those who owe us nothing >(zero) how they need to conduct business with us. > >A combination of these two principles is illustrated, in my view, in >this week's brouhaha at the WTO meeting, where protesters are trying >to bring attention to the revolting hypocrisy of US and others' >policies, of massive subsidies to our own farmers Mostly going to the big ag corps, not the farmers per se. >(such massive >needless subsidies are not consistent with a basic domestic "free >market" concept in my view) combined with US and others' demands on >some countries to open their markets to these subsidized goods. > >In other words: let US taxpayers pay for your dinner and drive you and >your farmer neighbor out of business, whether you like it or not, and >even whether many US taxpayers like it or not. > >So, if Americans are going to go on about free trade, I'd at least >like us to discuss whether we have it at home, in addition to what I >think are fair questions as to how we do business with other >countries. I think you're quite right. I don't think it's "off-topic" either, as this has much to do with energy supply and the extremely unlevel "playing field" that biofuels are expected to compete "fairly" on, as well as the "economies" of biofuels crops. Discuss away, please. Though once you've asked "Who benefits, and at whose expense", you might just end up with something horribly similar domestically to my Russian Roulette metaphor: > >It would be better termed "unfettered trade", but that's not clear > >enough either. In a "free" (unregulated) market, goods automatically > >move towards those with excess away from those with no excess - from > >the poor to the rich. The poor are poor because the rich are rich. > >"Wealth creation" is more often wealth extraction, and poverty > >creation. And "unlimited growth" is the main characteristic of a > >cancer. Trickle-down - crumbs from the table proposed as a > >counterbalance to make "free" markets fair - doesn't work and never > >did and never would, just as vacuum cleaners don't spread dust about > >the place. For markets to be fair, they have to be regulated. > > > >How "free trade" works: I'm rich and powerful, you're poor, weak and > >indebted to me. I'm free to name the game and make the rules, that's > >only fair, you owe me money after all. So we play Russian Roulette. > >Okay, you start - point this gun at your head and pull the trigger. > >Hey, you survived. My turn - so I do just the same as you, I point > >the gun at your head and pull the trigger. Ooops, you lose. By the > >way, your family owes me for the bullet. > > > >No exaggeration, or not much. Regards Keith > >http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/8799 > > > >Free Trade's Ball And Chain > >Trade Policy Analysis > >If the goal of these so-called "free trade" agreements is truly to > >open foreign markets to American exports (and not to reward and > >encourage companies that shift more jobs overseas), it is pretty > >clear the strategy is not working. Before Congress approves new > >bilateral free trade agreements based on an outdated model, it is > >imperative that we take some time to figure out how and why the > >current policy has failed. > > > >The AFL-CIO believes that increased international trade and > >investment, if done right, can yield broad and substantial benefits, > >both to American working families and to our brothers and sisters > >around the world. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for Your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at Myinks.com. 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