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redgreenandblue

(2,088 posts)
51. ...
Wed May 16, 2012, 09:17 AM
May 2012

I grew up around people from all over the place. I had friends from India, Poland, Korea, Yugoslavia, Italy and several other places that I'd have to really think hard if I wanted to list them all. I wouldn't have it any other way. The idea that countries should remain isolated from each other seems very "foreign" to me.

I can see however how people fear "cheap" competition on the market. The thing is, there has to be an alternative to complete isolationism. For one, I think a company that hires an immigrant needs to be forced to pay the same wage as for a local. That should eliminate several issues from the start. There has to be a reasonable solution that both allows people to relocate if they wish to do that and protect local interests at the same time.

I think it is only fair if local communities give a slight preference to local workers for one simple reason: Some people don't wish to ever re-locate. Those people will always be at a disadvantage compared to people who have already chosen to abandon their birthplace/home. Because once a person decides to leave home, essentially the whole world can be an option. On the other hand, there is only one "home", so the person who wants to stay put doesn't have any other options.

"Free trade" doesn't really concern me. I'm more concerned about the right of the individual to choose where to live. Localized production and consumption does make sense though, already from a energy-efficiency standpoint.

How do you know these people have jobs in the first place? Fumesucker May 2012 #1
Holy provincial oversimplification Batman. redgreenandblue May 2012 #2
Unfortunately, there's a deep racist, nativist vein running through America that this taps into. baldguy May 2012 #3
How dare the rest of the world have jobs. All your base are belong to us! leveymg May 2012 #4
Exactly. So why don't you give up your job and hire one of them in your place? Zalatix May 2012 #5
If one of them could do it as well, and cheaper, they would already have it. leveymg May 2012 #7
So if an American worker is in a vulnerable job then they can just suck it, right? Zalatix May 2012 #9
No, I'm not saying that. But, I can't safely assume that I "own" my job. leveymg May 2012 #17
You kinda are saying that. You show absolutely no pity for America's working class. Zalatix May 2012 #19
I am very much part of America's working class. Knowledge industry "no-collar" 1099 Proletariat, leveymg May 2012 #22
Your claim is that you have a *good reason* to undermine American workers. The rebuttal is Romulox May 2012 #23
I didn't make any such claim. You mischaracterized my statement. Read it again. leveymg May 2012 #26
Nonsense. You don't get to dictate how your attack on workers is received. You're transparent. nt Romulox May 2012 #28
Once again: You have no sympathy for America's working class. Your arguments work to their detriment Zalatix May 2012 #36
You don't seem to grasp the difference between Trade in Services and Trade in Goods, leveymg May 2012 #44
Yup, you still don't understand much of this at all. You didn't even address most of my points. Zalatix May 2012 #45
I don't think "we're" in a war at all, if by we you mean the US as a government + its corporations. HiPointDem May 2012 #78
Sigh... Zalatix May 2012 #79
sigh. it ain't that simple. there is collusion between the us & china because the arrangement HiPointDem May 2012 #80
TL;DR version: But *LEVEYMG* works in the service industry. So *these* jobs are important! nt Romulox May 2012 #47
^ Correct ^ Why were America's basic jobs offshored ? Mimosa May 2012 #58
Then the poor things should quit buying stuff made elsewhere because it is cheaper treestar May 2012 #25
As always, you are a font of both compassion and reason. nt Romulox May 2012 #27
Well I am a font of not just blaming others for our own acts treestar May 2012 #31
What's this "us" stuff? I'm blaming *you* for promoting a rightwing economics. nt Romulox May 2012 #34
Ah yes, blame American workers. The US Chamber of Commerce loves that argument. Zalatix May 2012 #35
That just means you're in a field where it doesn't happen. Head in sand. Honeycombe8 May 2012 #74
It's a Corporatist meme used to divide the Cultural Left from the Economic Left Odin2005 May 2012 #6
Ding, ding, ding!! hifiguy May 2012 #8
Thanks! Odin2005 May 2012 #12
You have hit it dead on center, Odin. TheKentuckian May 2012 #10
Headshot!!! Zalatix May 2012 #11
+1 HiPointDem May 2012 #13
And sadly, some DUers have fallen for it over the years. HughBeaumont May 2012 #14
Shameful. Mimosa May 2012 #60
I think that's one way to look at it, but not the only way RZM May 2012 #18
Question: Have you ever left the country? redgreenandblue May 2012 #20
I wish I had the money to travel overseas. Odin2005 May 2012 #30
... redgreenandblue May 2012 #51
Wait, China has tariffs and currency manipulation but you don't call them isolationist Zalatix May 2012 #69
Reread my post. I did not mention trade tariffs anywhere. redgreenandblue May 2012 #76
Sorry about getting on you about tariffs Zalatix May 2012 #77
Americans would need jobs in order to do that. Said jobs moved overseas. Any further questions? Zalatix May 2012 #46
Spot on. 99Forever May 2012 #29
Is it the Economic Left if "opposition to Globalist Corporatism" is more a right-wing phenomenon? pampango May 2012 #32
You're like a corporatist Nero, fiddling while the EU burns... Romulox May 2012 #33
You've been pushing that crap argument forever now. It is wrong and outdated. Zalatix May 2012 #38
Marine Le Pen wears pants. Pampango wears pants. Draw your own conclusion!!!! nt Romulox May 2012 #49
Ayn Rand supported abortion rights. Ergo we are all Ayn Rand! Zalatix May 2012 #54
Besides, pampango's bizarre contention that laissez-faire economics are not of the HARD RIGHT Romulox May 2012 #50
I wonder what Pampango has to say now that his argument has been destroyed. AGAIN. Zalatix May 2012 #55
Nothing, apparently, because he hasn't replied after his hit-and-run. Odin2005 May 2012 #63
Pampango is a good example of the "cultural left" that I'm talking about. Odin2005 May 2012 #62
He's not cultural left; he's a free trader. Zalatix May 2012 #66
There's nothing "left" about pampango--she spouts Rightwing economics here, and nothing else. Romulox May 2012 #75
+1 Poll_Blind May 2012 #41
It isn't corporatists who accuse me of being a racist for believing that americans should have jobs. lumberjack_jeff May 2012 #59
+1! uponit7771 May 2012 #61
love it or leave it frylock May 2012 #15
I support two big issues: 1) Abortion rights; 2) race-to-the-bottom "free trade" (prison labor AOK!) Romulox May 2012 #16
I don't think it's quite that simple... cynatnite May 2012 #21
How do you assign a nationality to a job? treestar May 2012 #24
Simple. If it's sold here, it must be made here. Zalatix May 2012 #37
It is comprehensible, but impractical treestar May 2012 #52
Impractical to you, maybe. Zalatix May 2012 #53
Gawd, it's not 'racist,' it's 'chauvinist' or 'nationalist'. The way coalition_unwilling May 2012 #39
It's done intentionally, to shame American workers into letting globalism fleece them out of jobs. Zalatix May 2012 #40
It's not an honest mistake. It's a concerted effort by the Right to appropriate the language of the Romulox May 2012 #48
Yes, because those pesky foreigners working in sweat shops are the reason for unemployment. Puregonzo1188 May 2012 #42
Workers of the World UNITE! Tierra_y_Libertad May 2012 #43
It Isn't Racist... chickypea May 2012 #56
Americans having jobs is silly? How so? Zalatix May 2012 #57
Who Are thes Big Bad People Stealing America's Jobs? chickypea May 2012 #64
Again, I will ask you, how is Americans having jobs silly in your book? Zalatix May 2012 #65
Change American Habits, Jobs will Follow chickypea May 2012 #70
You're wrong again. American habits aren't the problem, and you are lying about American students. Zalatix May 2012 #71
Post removed Post removed May 2012 #72
YES, LYING. Mass defamation. Without any supporting facts, no less. Zalatix May 2012 #73
Some people have a real problem with the idea that a government should act in the interests of... JVS May 2012 #67
Bad global citizen! I revoke your Global ID Card! Zalatix May 2012 #68
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