Why do we need more trade agreements?

[LiberalFighter]

Don't we have enough of them?

[DJ13]

1. Because we still have a few jobs left in our country

[yourout]

2. We don't.....period.

[davidpdx]

3. I know I'm going to get thumped for this

But I think people tend to look at trade agreements only in a sense that they are bad and that they have no value. The purpose of trade agreements is to lower tariffs and quotas. Some are more successful than others. That bottle of wine you bought the other day for a special occasion not have been available had a free trade agreement been reached with the country where it came from and the price was likely less because a tariff was reduced. Believe it or not, the things we buy that are imported we pay tariffs on. The importers pass those costs along to the consumer.

Trade agreements make US available here in South Korea where I live. I suppose that is bad for US companies then.

I am a liberal Democrat, but can still see the usefulness of free trade. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

[abumbyanyothername]

5. I am for tariffs

Since America still provides the bulk of the world's consumption, we should charge companies for the privilege of doing business with our consumers.

As for economics generally -- I strongly disagree with the highest profit/lowest price mentality.

I back Swadeshi economics. If you need it make it. If you can't make it, buy it from your near neighbor. If you can't buy it from your near neighbor, you don't need it.

[davidpdx]

6. The problem is that goes both ways

If we put tariffs on our products, then other countries do as well. In the 1920s the problem became so bad that it caused a worldwide tariff war.

And simply saying I won't buy something because we don't make it doesn't sit well with most people. Even if you buy something that is American made, often parts are from foreign countries.

I own and HP computer (actually two) and am under no illusion that the parts were American or assembling of the product was done in America.

[limpyhobbler]

8. It's a problem when commerce is not accompanied by rules to protect workers.

Race to the bottom and all that.

[Amonester]

4. Twelve millon jobs 2013-2016. (A lot of 'vacancy' due to Baby-boomers retiring).

US jobs. Not saying it's perfect (far from that).

Still.

[davidpdx]

7. True, there is no Utopian system

Every kind of system in the world has some types of flaws. Much of the current problem wasn't cause by trade, but by greed by the banking system and a collapse in housing prices.

[Amonester]

9. That's true, and it was originally caused by 'special interests' investing in legislators, but...

the consequences of all that are also a long-lasting impoverishment of a struggling working class, a lower standard of living of the middle class, and an un-precedented transfer of wealth to the upper-classes never seen, proportionally, since the late 1920's.

The so-called 12 million 'new' jobs of Obama's second term will probably not pay as much as they should, unless workers Unions rights are restored and work for the common good of all, rich & poor, and that implies the rich to pay a higher income tax rate, coupled with closing all tax-evading loopholes they unfairly beneficiate from, and don't really need (they have plenty already, even too much).

For that to happen, a lot of Progressive politicians would have to be elected and pressured (if necessary) to legislate in that direction.

That would be a lot to ask in the current political environment, but it has to be done someday (the sooner, the better).

In the meantime, while informing the public and convincing people it must be done to begin saving the biosphere for future generations, those million jobs will be more than welcome, even if they're not perfection. There still remains a lot of work to improve the quality of lives.

That's how I see it. Thanks.

[davidpdx]

10. We need to get back some of the governorships

that we lost between 2009-2011.