Why Is It So Acceptable to Lie to Promote Trade Deals? by Dean Baker

[xchrom]

https://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/05/30-4


This TTIP trade deal is primarily about imposing a set of regulations on both continents, some of which may be improvements, but many of which will be designed to serve the business interests who are in on the negotiations.

It's not polite to use the "L" word here in Washington, but it's hard not to be more than a bit disgusted with the frequency with which trade pacts are sold as great engines of job creation and economic growth, when they clearly are not. The latest offender in this area is Bruce Ackerman, a Yale Law professor.


n a Washington Post column Ackerman called on President Obama to push for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Pact (TTIP), which he described as, "opening the path for job-creating opportunities for workers on both continents." Really, what evidence does Professor Ackerman have for this assertion?

The most widely cited projections for the growth impact of the TTIP are from the Centre for Economic Policy Research in London (no connection to my CEPR) which shows the pact leading to an increase in GDP of 0.4 percent in the U.S. when its effects are fully felt in 2027, and 0.5 percent in the European Union. The analysis explicitly says that it will not lead to more jobs since the models are full employment models. It may lead to somewhat higher wages, but it is not a way to employ the unemployed. Furthermore, the discussion notes that in the transition, some workers may end up unemployed as the economies adjust to the new rules.

Implying that a deal that raises GDP by 0.4 or 0.5 percent 13 years out means "job-creating opportunities for workers on both continents" is just dishonest. The increment to annual growth is on the order of 0.03 percentage points. Good luck finding that in the data.

[marmar]

1. Big K&R

[hatrack]

2. Because it lets TPTB dangle the promise that you'll all be rich . . . someday . . . somehow

Just let us ink this trade deal behind closed doors - don't you worry your pretty little heads about all those pesky details.

[Octafish]

3. ''job-creating opportunities for workers on both continents.''

[bemildred]

4. Lying is the primary tool of government these days, that's why.

It's like a reflex.

[xchrom]

8. +1

[MisterP]

9. frankly they can't seem to help it (and once it's passed it's too late--whattya gonna do, vote for

the candidate who says he'll renegotiate NAFTA? AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA)

[jwirr]

5. Interesting. I was riding on the student bus at the University of Iowa and setting in front of two

MBA students who were discussing the idea put forth in the OP. I do not remember exactly what their excuse was but this was way back in the 70s and I remember I was angry. So my answer is that collages teach it is okay in their MBA courses.

[dawg]

6. It's not a lie ...

if you *believe* it.

And unregulated capitalism is the religion of our ruling class.

[pampango]

7. I doubt it will pass. The US and European far-right are joining the opposition from the left.

Marine Le Pen to meet other far-right leaders in move to create anti-EU bloc

France's Front National leader Marine Le Pen will meet other far-right and eurosceptic leaders on Wednesday in an attempt to create a powerful bloc in the European parliament.

Le Pen insisted the party's score was an unqualified victory despite an abstention rate of 57%. She demanded that France call a halt to talks between the European Union and the United States to create a vast free market, known as the Transatlantic Trade Treaty.

"I clearly call on the president of the Republic, firstly the dissolution of the Assemblée Nationale, because you know it is no longer at all representative of the French people," Le Pen said.

"I also demand that he does three things to take Sunday's vote into account: firstly, France halts the transatlantic treaty, secondly, France states its veto of Turkey's entry into the European Union and, thirdly, he nationalises Alstom, contrary to the rules of the European Union, to save this strategic company."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/27/marine-le-pen-met-far-right-leaders-eu-bloc

The US' far-right teapartiers want the US out of the UN, the WTO and practically every other international body and agreement as an affront to national sovereignty. I doubt that they will support a trade deal with the 'socialists' in Europe which diminishes our 'sovereign right' of the US to do whatever the hell it wants.

[KG]

10. Oh c'mon. the obama administration lie?

[Egnever]

11. Asks the guy who is lying about what the report says...

http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2013/september/tradoc_151787.pdf

section 2.2.3

Specifically says the report did not look at job creation,but that based on their calculations there should be an increase of several million jobs in the EU. They specifically state it is a crude extrapolation.

The statement made by the author that

The analysis explicitly says that it will not lead to more jobs since the models are full employment models.

Would be a lie.

[Enthusiast]

12. This post deserves far more recognition and 100s of recommendations.

Wake up people!

[Egnever]

13. Cause it lies about lying?

Yea, Yay for bullshit!