7/29/2004
BARBARA BOXER ON FREE TRADE: "John Kerry believes in fair trade...[free trade with countries whose companies pay low wages] is not fair for workers."
How about what's fair for the consumers, Senator Boxer? Restricting trade with certain countries restricts the opportunity for individuals to choose what is best for them. The result is that we Americans as a whole pay higher prices for our everyday goods. There is also the subsidiary effect that many companies are forced to pay higher prices for input products - this stunts growth in these sectors and passes on even higher costs to the consumers.
Other countries have economic advantages that Americans do not have, labor costs being one of them. Let other countries do what they do best, because America excels in many other areas. We have the best educated adults, the world's most advanced technology, and vast resources to use in production. Opening ourselves to trade with others will only increase our markets for business.
Some make the argument that free trade will create an America of hamburger flippers. This is not a new argument. One hundred years ago, some argued that technology would live Americans unemployed. It didn't happen. Twenty years ago, when many pushed for free trade with Canada and Mexico, some argued we'd lose all our good jobs. The 1990's showed us how wrong that was.
Free trade with countries with "sweatshops" isn't cruel, either. No one forces people in India, the Philippines, and other Asian countries to work in sweatshops. These people choose to - willingly! Without American businesses like Nike investing in these countries, many who currently work in the sweatshops would be working in less desirable situations; some as prostitutes, as an example.
These countries use sweatshops as a starting point in the development to an industrialized society. South Korea did this, as did Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Senator Boxer, free trade is fair trade. Restricting free trade is unfair, not only to our consumers, but to the rest of the world.
How about what's fair for the consumers, Senator Boxer? Restricting trade with certain countries restricts the opportunity for individuals to choose what is best for them. The result is that we Americans as a whole pay higher prices for our everyday goods. There is also the subsidiary effect that many companies are forced to pay higher prices for input products - this stunts growth in these sectors and passes on even higher costs to the consumers.
Other countries have economic advantages that Americans do not have, labor costs being one of them. Let other countries do what they do best, because America excels in many other areas. We have the best educated adults, the world's most advanced technology, and vast resources to use in production. Opening ourselves to trade with others will only increase our markets for business.
Some make the argument that free trade will create an America of hamburger flippers. This is not a new argument. One hundred years ago, some argued that technology would live Americans unemployed. It didn't happen. Twenty years ago, when many pushed for free trade with Canada and Mexico, some argued we'd lose all our good jobs. The 1990's showed us how wrong that was.
Free trade with countries with "sweatshops" isn't cruel, either. No one forces people in India, the Philippines, and other Asian countries to work in sweatshops. These people choose to - willingly! Without American businesses like Nike investing in these countries, many who currently work in the sweatshops would be working in less desirable situations; some as prostitutes, as an example.
These countries use sweatshops as a starting point in the development to an industrialized society. South Korea did this, as did Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Senator Boxer, free trade is fair trade. Restricting free trade is unfair, not only to our consumers, but to the rest of the world.
# posted by Anonymous @ 7/29/2004 04:57:00 PM 
