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xchrom

(108,903 posts)
Wed Jul 2, 2014, 10:03 AM Jul 2014

"Free Trade" Champions Betray Us All

https://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/07/02-1



Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind has apparently never met a free trade agreement he didn't like. Note it is always a “free trade” agreement, never a “fair trade” agreement.

Free trade defines an agreement that has as a first (and sometimes only) priority, the best interests of corporations namely, their profits. At what expense those profits are taken is apparently of little concern to the trade negotiators and in particular the corporate representatives that are active participants in the otherwise secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations.

Fair trade on the other hand would put the interests of people and the environment ahead of corporate profit. Fair trade would protect jobs rather than off-shoring them as has historically happened after passage of all free trade agreements.

Environmental protection under fair trade would also trump corporate profit--- destructive strip mines, mountain top removal, groundwater pollution, air pollution, all these byproducts of the less restrictive environmental protections, that again, always happen when free trade agreements are ratified, would have to be prohibited.
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"Free Trade" Champions Betray Us All (Original Post) xchrom Jul 2014 OP
K&R.... daleanime Jul 2014 #1
TPP is worthless without high labor and environmental standards, as the OP says. pampango Jul 2014 #2

pampango

(24,692 posts)
2. TPP is worthless without high labor and environmental standards, as the OP says.
Wed Jul 2, 2014, 10:29 AM
Jul 2014

The sign in the OP refers to the WTO rather than to TPP or TISA. The WTO is a legacy of FDR's commitment to multilateral organizations in trade (GATT and the ITO), finance (the IMF and World Bank) and many other international areas. The right wing hates the WTO with a passion, as evidenced by the GOP platform in Texas, Iowa and many other states.

We support the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations and the removal of U.N. headquarters from United States soil.

We oppose foreign aid except in cases of national defense or catastrophic disasters, with Congressional approval.

We support United States withdrawal from the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization and the World Bank.

http://www.alternet.org/5-craziest-planks-draft-texas-gop-platform

FDR was accused of 'secret' trade negotiations in the 1936 and 1940 GOP platforms. Of course, the Democratic congress had given him 'fast track' authority and he used it.

It secretly has made tariff agreements with our foreign competitors, flooding our markets with foreign commodities.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29639

The problem is not secret negotiations (our negotiations with Iran are quite secret as far as I know) but the nature of the eventual agreement. FDR's negotiations led to many trade deals that lowered tariffs and were approved by congress.
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