MG, Re: Clueless in Seattle
First of all, Hi All! Sorry I haven't been posting, but just didn't have the mental energy.
There is another side of the issue. I watched the Secretary for Trade on the tele say that these protestors don't represent the thinking of the majority. Well, excuse me madame Secretary, but I must have missed the pro-WTO group.
I see a lot on the threads about all the help wanted signs in the shops and stores. I doubt that many in this community could live on the $8-10 these folks want to pay. In fact, I was just recently offered a part-time professor position at our local community college teaching three classes (2 accounting & a tax). After I figured that I would be paid about $235 a week for at least 20 hours of effort, I declined. The issues the protestors are raising could easily connect to mainstream America, and if one of the politicians can tap this discontent, the next election is going to be interesting.
Earlier this year, my brother-in-law was pointing out that on millions of acres of apple orchards in the northwest, only the eating apples were being picked. All the juicing apples were being left to rot. It seems that China was importing the juicing apples for less than it would cost our folks to pick them off the trees. It really leads to the serious issue of the benefit derived by Free Trade. Did the consumers pay less for apple juice? I doubt it.
It is easy to focus on the environmental and labor extremists, as the media would have us do. Nonetheless, there are some serious issues here that Billy and his fellow Trilateralists will eventual be forced to deal with, unless, of course, democracy is repealed.
Sorry, but you pushed my button on this issue!
TB |
