Trade Policy: This Is Worth 2000 Words

[Alan Grayson]

A picture is worth 1000 words. So let me show you two of them. On the left, our trade balance between 1962 and 1992, before so-called "free trade agreements." And on the right, our trade balance since then:



What sane person could look at these two charts, and conclude that what America needs is more "free trade"?

We have run a trade deficit of at least $350,000,000,000.00 every single year since 2000, with no end in sight. The result is that we have gutted the U.S. manufacturing base, and run up enormous debt to foreigners – almost $6 trillion ($6,000,000,000,000.00) in U.S. Treasury debt alone.

We buy their goods, putting their workers to work. They buy our assets, driving us deeper and deeper into debt.

The real issue is not whether to sign new "free trade" giveaways and sell-outs. The real issue is how to curtail runaway U.S. trade deficits, and mountainous U.S. foreign debt.

The real issue is how we put our workers back to work, heal our economy, and heal our nation.

Courage,

Rep. Alan Grayson

[abelenkpe]

1. Between currency differences, subsidies offered by other countries and less expensive health care

how are US workers supposed to compete? I agree we don't need more free trade. How do we get the jobs back?

[Armstead]

4. The answer is simple -- but hard

Both businesses and consumers have to start having some loyalty to our country.

I don't mean jingoism but a recognition that we are destroying the place we live by not giving a damn about anything but the almighty dollar.

And a willingness to make a few financial sacrifices in the short term for a stronger domestic economy in the long term.

It's a matter of self interest as well as common decency. Businesses need customers. Workers need jobs.

That also doesn't mean jingoism, isolationism or disregarding the rest of the world. But if tge economy were to shift to at least a balance of domestic production for domestic consumption wed all be better off.

BUt I realize people are not geared that way, so the race to the bottom will likely continue.

[msongs]

2. "We buy their goods..." - one solution is obvious nt

[rhett o rick]

3. Their low prices appeal to our consumer greed. nm

[Enthusiast]

5. Recommended 1000X and kicked too.

Way to go, Representative Grayson!