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Strategies & Market Trends : Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: mishedlo who wrote (108547)	2/19/2010 7:45:16 PM
From: Hawkmoon	2 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

I am taking a lot of flack from war mongers and union clowns. You certainly are.. ;0) But you're also ignoring political realities in presenting your economic theories. Let's revisit the issue of "free trade". It's something that has been advocated by various US administrations over the past 100 years (or more). We open up our markets far more than many other economies in hopes that, someday, they will reciprocate. We certainly did this with China, despite the fact that many of their products were manufactured by child and slave labor in state owned industries. Is it "free trade" to force our companies and workers to compete against foreign labor forces where such cheap labor is utilized? I mean, free trade is free trade, RIGHT?? Placing tariffs on foreign companies that utilize child labor is "restraint of trade", right? It denies US consumers the benefit of cheaper foreign goods, right? Are we going to pay the price to permit free trade in goods that are manufactured by child or slave labor? Is that the price that US workers have to pay in order to defend an economic principle? 1 in 6 children in this world are employed as child labor unicef.org Now.. does defense of "free trade" require us to compete at the same level by forcing our child to work? continuetolearn.uiowa.edu freethechildren.com albionmonitor.com Free trade in Diamonds anyone? ihscslnews.org amnestyusa.org How about Gold?: lawprofessors.typepad.com globalenvision.org More global benefits of "Free Trade": ovimagazine.com files.abovetopsecret.com action.walmartwatch.com nytimes.com I am holding my ground. So am I.. Free trade without reciprocal standards of labor regulations between trading partners is not FAIR TRADE. And it only encourages MORE exploitation of children and other human beings (whether indentured servants, or outright slaves). There is the IMPLICIT FLAW in your perspective of "free trade". It's where your economic theories meet the HARD SOCIAL AND POLITICAL realities. Now.. you call folks like myself "war mongers".. Shall I refer to you as a "'Cracka" or "Child Exploiter"? Maybe it's a good idea that we tone down the name calling and heated rhetoric. Hawk