Free Trade Is Not the Enemy - (William Daley in NYT)

[Yorktown]

Free Trade Is Not the Enemy

By WILLIAM M. DALEY - MAY 19, 2015
William M. Daley, a managing partner at Argentière Capital AG, was secretary of commerce from 1997 to 2001 and President Obama’s chief of staff from 2011 to 2012.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/19/opinion/free-trade-is-not-the-enemy.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=opinion-c-col-right-region&region=opinion-c-col-right-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-right-region

CHICAGO — IN 1993, President Bill Clinton tapped me as special counsel to lead the fight to pass the North American Free Trade Agreement. (..)

During the Nafta debate, America was on the precipice of great change.(..) So we muscled the agreement through Congress over fierce Democratic opposition.

The economic impact of the deal was immediately undercut by the collapse of the Mexican peso in 1994. But opponents’ predictions of “a giant sucking sound” accompanying the departure of millions of jobs from American workers never materialized, either. (..)

Now Congress is set to weigh in on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which encompasses 12 nations on four continents and dwarfs Nafta in economic size and geopolitical importance. (..)

There is no path to middle-class prosperity without tearing down barriers to American exports. By 2030, the world economy is expected to grow by $60 trillion, with almost 90 percent of the growth occurring outside the United States. Our success depends on how much of that new wealth is spent on American products. But today, of the 40 largest economies, the United States ranks 39th in the share of our gross domestic product that comes from exports. This is because our products face very high barriers to entry overseas in the form of tariffs, quotas and outright discrimination.

When barriers disappear, we prosper. In the 17 trade deals the United States has concluded since 2000, our balance of trade in the blue-collar-goods sector went from minus $3 billion to plus $31 billion, according to an analysis of government data by the centrist policy institute Third Way, on whose board I sit. According to the International Trade Administration, export-related jobs pay 18 percent more than similar jobs in the same sector.

Geopolitically, President Obama is also right. If we don’t set the rules for commerce in the Asia-Pacific region, China will. (..)
(..)
Finally, there is the question of politics. Denying the president the authority to negotiate an agreement to bring before Congress would be a serious rebuke. (..)

Nafta’s shadow hangs over this deal, but the truth is that both its upside and its downside are smaller than anyone likes to admit. Now we have a chance to guide a huge section of the world’s economy to reflect our own high standards for commerce. Why would we deny the president the opportunity to seize this moment?

[House of Roberts]

1. Mr. Daley, I have a different theory to offer you.

By 2030, the world economy is expected to grow by $60 trillion, with almost 90 percent of the growth occurring outside the United States.

How about between now and then we make a slight adjustment in US trade policy, and call it 'Real Trade'? The ship comes in full, and it leaves full, or it doesn't unload. Dollar for dollar trade is real trade. Purchase orders aren't trade.

[Yorktown]

5. Dollar for dollar trade is barter

Much more inefficient than free trade

[GoneFishin]

2. The U.S. is being forced under NAFTA right now, to ban labels on meat for country of origin.

Already liberal banking rules are being challenged further under NAFTA now.

They are not NAFTA shadows. They are NAFTA demons, and we live with them now.

Fuck NAFTA. Fuck the TPP.

[jazzimov]

3. If we don’t set the rules for commerce in the Asia-Pacific region, China will.

THAT's what so many people are forgetting.

[eridani]

10. Horseshit. China will do what it wants regardless of any "free" trade agreements

TPP will do fuckall to make cheap Chinese labor expensive.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

11. indeed! talk about a Republican style talking point

China?!

They don't give a fuck about patent laws, currency manipulation, human rights, etc..

They write the rules.

First Rule of TPP:
There are no rules to TPP

Some people just want to trust this president so bad, he can wooo them with Republican style talking points.

[Warpy]

4. Free trade without FAIR TRADE is a very, very bad deal

for everyone in this country who works for a living and for every single genuine patriot who realizes that exporting key industries like textiles has put this country into a very weak position when it comes to surviving a war..or even just a trade blockade.

NO TPP! Start insisting NAFTA and GATT live up to the labor protections written into them!

We can't trust any of these bastards. We should fight them all the way!

[hifiguy]

6. Bullshit. There are no tariff barriers.

This is all about facilitating the frictionless motion of capital, not goods. Lies from top to bottom.

[msongs]

7. great,let's stripout any and all items that are NOT about free trade - the buying and selling of

tangible goods

[NaturalHigh]

8. Is Mr. Daley a part of the working class?

No? Then let's move on to the next cheerleader.

[CharlotteVale]

9. What a crock of self-serving shit.

[ucrdem]

12. I'll take Third-way Daley's word over T-bag Sessions' any day of the week.

Any FACKING day if that makes it clearer.

K'n'R.

[ucrdem]

13. Does anyone remember the last couple of Clinton years?

When it seemed like everyone was either driving a new car, starting a new job, or both?

I do. Bring it on Barack!

[Yorktown]

14. Yup. Clinton and Obama did good jobs. nt

[Mnpaul]

15. nope

and the stats back it up

Car sales fell from a high point in 1994, recovered for a few years in 98 + 99 and then continued to fall.
http://www.statista.com/statistics/199974/us-car-sales-since-1951/

The Clinton years sucked if you worked in manufacturing. Wages fell or remained stagnant and jobs were few a far between. We also saw the birth of temp services, which pilfered wealth away from the American worker.