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Forum Post: Free Trade Agreements Allow Corporations to Exploit the Poor, Increase American Unemployment, and Destroy the American Dream for Us 99%

Posted 12 years ago on Oct. 14, 2011, 7:21 p.m. EST by AmericanRedWhiteBlue (126)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

http://www.americanjobsalliance.com/content/free-trade-agreements-will-not-create-us-jobs

President Barack Obama said the deals would make it easier for U.S. companies to sell their products overseas, but trade agreements in the past have allowed U.S. companies to outsource jobs and realize higher profits due to the low labor costs found outside of this country.

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, chairman of the House Trade Working Group, says proposed trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama would hurt U.S. job creation. Michaud said recently the “president is sending mixed messages by sending these free trade agreements to Congress. He wants to pass more free trade agreements, but conditions it on an extension of benefits for all those that will be harmed by them. Does he want to create jobs at home with the American Jobs Act, or does he want to offshore them to places like South Korea?”

Michaud says Congress needs to pass an extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance because existing policies continue to undermine U.S. businesses and workers, but the extension should be tied to policy that encourages business growth and job creation in the U.S.

We agree. The American Jobs Act will do nothing to create jobs here if manufacturers can get dirt-cheap labor outside of the U.S., where many labors are unprotected and exploited.

The president recently said, “These agreements will support tens of thousands of jobs across the country for workers making products stamped with three proud words: Made in America.”

This is hard for us to believe, since most countries leading in manufacturing are making products for U.S. consumers. Products made in the U.S. are expensive due to protections for workers like unions and minimum wage laws.

The president has said these agreements would boost U.S. exports by $13 billion annually. But the trade-off also allows for U.S. companies to have their products made cheaply overseas.

Michaud spent nearly 30 years in the manufacturing sector, and like many in York County, saw manufacturing jobs all but disappear. In Maine, we’ve lost 40 percent of our manufacturing base since NAFTA, Michaud said.

He says the three pending free trade agreements will undermine U.S. manufacturing at a time when it desperately needs to be rebuilt. The Economic Policy Institute estimates just the agreement with Korea will cost the U.S. 159,000 jobs, noted Michaud, and it will open up a new channel in Korea through which China can transship goods to the U.S. to evade higher tariffs, he said.

Michaud also pointed out in Colombia workers have been killed for trying to organize for better working conditions and pay.

Passing trade agreements that do not protect American jobs is not what people want. Allowing these agreements should be possible, but only when coupled with laws that have real teeth to stop labor atrocities and ensure other countries are treating their workers fairly.

As long as American corporations can find labor that is cheaper and faster outside of the U.S., they will use laborers outside of the U.S., which does nothing to help Americans, nor the workers who are being exploited.

Americans continue to say, “We need jobs,” and we hope our legislators and president will start listening.

28 Comments

28 Comments


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[-] 3 points by an0n (764) 12 years ago

Protectionism is a dirty word but we're the only major trading nation that doesn't have a coherent strategy that looks out for the interests of its citizens. Yes, I know, we'd start a trade war with China, be afraid, etc.. Nobody else has to be afraid, why do we?

It is the responsibility of the state to act in the best interests of its population, sine qua non. Multinationals (and their 1% shareholders) are the biggest, and sometimes it seems only, beneficiaries of US trade policy. We need to restore balance.

Intelligent policies are required that make it just as cost-effective to do business with the American middle class and responsible trading partners as it is with nations like China that have absolutely no protections for labor, the environment, etc...

After dealing with corruption in politics and the rule of the oligarchy, a reconsidered trade policy must be a top priority.

[-] 1 points by AmericanRedWhiteBlue (126) 12 years ago

Right-On an0n!!!

[-] 3 points by AmericanRedWhiteBlue (126) 12 years ago

Sir James Goldsmith was RIGHT!!! He predicted where we are now. I experienced, first hand, what he predicted. Everyone needs to watch that video!

[-] 2 points by gregstafford999 (17) 12 years ago

Senator Mitch McConnell has already stated the Republican Party #1 goal is to oust President Obama from office. Anything that improves the lives of people in the U.S. would undermine that goal.

We have to force private money OUT of Politics. The System will stay gridlocked until we finally do that. Sorry to bear that news.

www.GetMoneyOut.com

Beyond that, the only way to stop companies from offshoring american Jobs is to begin treating Every company with foreign Employees as Foreign Companies. Hit them with tariffs to push the cost of their products UP level to whatever American Made rival products are.. or Deny them access to the American Economy they've killed off.

No Jobs = No Consumers. It took a long while to get here, but here it is..

Greg

[-] 1 points by AmericanRedWhiteBlue (126) 12 years ago

No Jobs = No Consumers

Exactly!!! Right-On!!!

[-] 1 points by mac123 (64) from Canton Township, MI 12 years ago

This man warned of an economic catastrophe if we got involved with world trade back in 1994. Why did congress ignore him when he went before them and begged them not to do it !!!

Please watch this video and find out why. : http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5064665078176641728

[-] 1 points by mac123 (64) from Canton Township, MI 12 years ago

In 1994 congress got us involve in GATT. The Generall Agreement on Tariff and Trade. We did not get to vote on it and it has ruined the middle class by making us compete with low wage countries. We were warned about the consequences but Congress didn't care. Please educate yourselves about this so we can turn this around. Everything this man said was going to happen has happened. Please watch this video: : http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5064665078176641728

[-] 1 points by madeinusa (393) 12 years ago

Fight free trade agreements and outsourcing by only purchasing Made In USA products and tell your retailers and manufacturers no more cheap inferior junk from asian slave labor.

[-] 1 points by mustwegetviolent666 (10) 12 years ago

We need a FAIR trade agreement forget a free trade agreement. China charges a 17% tax on imports compared to the us 4%

[-] 1 points by AN0NYM0US (640) 12 years ago

STOP THIS BILL! I like how I haven't seen this in the many main stream sources I go to for news.

[-] 1 points by abmebratu (349) from Washington, DC 12 years ago

Not only do they destroy American jobs, but they also destroy third world countries by dooming them to cheap dredging manual labor. Free trade also leads to child labor and unpaid labor in some cases. yes, that's right unpaid. free labor. Plus free trade has been really negative for the environment. I am all for globalization, but this is not the way to do it. We need a better way. BTW, free trade, as it is currently named is really misleading. It's not even free trade when you think about it. The decision is mainly made by corporate money. The poor are by and large excluded from taking part in the framing of free trade. Therefore these deals are far form free. In addition, according to polls, free trades are always opposed by a majority of Americans, which is why they usually pass through back door deals and we only hear about them after a deal has been made. This says a lot about our democracy.

[-] 1 points by AmericanRedWhiteBlue (126) 12 years ago

You are correct! Right-On!

[-] 1 points by Uguysarenuts (270) 12 years ago

Making Americans pay more for inferior products? Is this useful?

[-] 1 points by changeinmotion2 (66) from Portland, ME 12 years ago

Revolt - change needs to happen - Make Corporations Responsible for Communities at large... they need to be responsible actors in this game - they need to be forced to change ...

Read Neale Walsh ... says it perfectly ... any corporation - all employee salaries are visible - each knows what each is making... cap the salary level where above this any profits get cut - percentage to the work force... percentages to management - they get paid more for a reason and are not hourly for a reason- they are paid high enough already to make the hard decisions... workers making the product, workers keeping the quality high and making management happy deserve the biggest bang... now once you have that you take another percentage and GIVE to programs - GIVE to charity ... you make your American Corporations RESPONSIBLE - put this into legislation -

CHANGE EXISTING Legislation - we need to see Banking Regs change - we need to change the SEC rules and regs... we need to change the way corporations are allowed to do business. THEY MUST be made into responsible bodies that support their communities... Make Corps Responsible to the Communities at large...

[-] 1 points by beefybear (27) from Eagleswood, NJ 12 years ago

AHHAHA have you ever read trade laws or looked at trade tariffs. Free Trade programs are the best political scam ever pulled. They hardly effect manufacturing and give tons and tons of jobs to the fed gov. I work in the field and laugh every day. Free trade programs are so deeply woven into the fed gov there is no way they are comming out.If they do they will just renamed them.

[-] 1 points by gregstafford999 (17) 12 years ago

So you have no solution to offer? And don't care either?

[-] 1 points by beefybear (27) from Eagleswood, NJ 12 years ago

solution, focus on real issues

[-] 1 points by AmericanRedWhiteBlue (126) 12 years ago

Beefy Bear wrote: Free Trade programs are the best political scam ever pulled. THEY HARDLY EFFECT MANUFACTURING and give tons and tons of jobs to the fed gov.

Not True Beefy Bear, Free Trade Agreements GREATLY NEGATIVELY IMPACT AMERICAN MANUFACTURING.

I don’t know what your job is, but it obviously isn't in Manufacturing Operations (unless you are a corporate oligarch shill just trying to prop up a lie). I work in the aerospace industry. I watched my former employer (a fortune 100 company) ship AMERICAN jobs to MEXICO after NAFTA.

The American employees had to train the hard working Mexican folks (good people, by the way) on how operate the production machinery. The American employees were walked out of the building when they trained the other folks (a 21st Century Trail of Broken Dreams, Hopelessness, and Tears.) Ultimately hundreds of Americans lost their jobs.

End Corporate Exploitation!!!! Bring Back The American Dream!!!

Enact Thomas Jefferson's proposed 11th amendment and create a Sherman Act Part 2!!!

Break apart the “Too Big to Fail Banks” because they are a threat to the National Interests of our Great Nation!!!

[-] 1 points by beefybear (27) from Eagleswood, NJ 12 years ago

It had nothing to do with NAFTA. They used that as an excuse. just a big trick. Before NAFTA you could import good manufactured within 20 miles of the boarder with no tariff. Best part was all you needed was a warehouse on the boarder, no way to prove where it was made. NAFTA came and just allowed them to make more gov jobs to do NAFTA stuff (which I do). I work for the enemy and hate it every day.

[-] 1 points by AmericanRedWhiteBlue (126) 12 years ago

In 1993 the United States, Mexico, and Canada adopted the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which created the “Free Trade Zone” among the countries. This led to new American-owned assembly plants in Mexico and greater trade between the two countries. These maquiladoras make it possible for American companies to produce lower-priced goods because of the lower labour costs, but they can also diminish job opportunities for American workers. The latter was a hotly debated issue in the United States in the 1990s and early 2000s.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/363663/maquiladora

Please watch the video link provided by An0n---Sir James Goldsmith predicted this NAFTA situation in 1994.

[-] 1 points by beefybear (27) from Eagleswood, NJ 12 years ago

I am not saying it doesnt exist. I am saying it is way more propaganda and lies than truth. I could care less about arguing about free trade programs. I laugh just thinking about how disinformation there is about them. Good luck on your quest against it.

[-] 0 points by atki4564 (1259) from Lake Placid, FL 12 years ago

Many more people will come to your side when you are proactive (for “new” Business & Government solutions), instead of reactive (against “old” Business & Government solutions), which is why what we most immediately need is a comprehensive “new” strategy that implements all our various socioeconomic demands at the same time, regardless of party, and although I'm all in favor of taking down today's ineffective and inefficient Top 10% Management System of Business & Government, there's only one way to do it – by fighting bankers as bankers ourselves; that is, using a Focused Direct Democracy organized according to our current Occupations & Generations. Consequently, I have posted a 1-page Summary of the Strategically Weighted Policies, Organizational Operating Structures, and Tactical Investment Procedures necessary to do this at:

http://getsatisfaction.com/americanselect/topics/on_strategic_legal_policy_organizational_operational_structures_tactical_investment_procedures

Join

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/StrategicInternationalSystems/

because we need 100,000 “support clicks” at AmericansElect.org to support a Presidential Candidate -- such as any given political opportunist you'd like to draft -- in support of the above bank-focused platform.

Most importantly, remember, as cited in the first link above, that as Bank Owner-Voters in your 1 of 48 "new" Business Investment Groups (or "new" Congressional Committees) you become the "new" Congress replacing the "old" Congress according to your current Occupation & Generation, called a Focused Direct Democracy.

Therefore, any Candidate (or Leader) therein, regardless of party, is a straw man, a puppet; it's the STRATEGY – the sequence of steps – that the people organize themselves under, in Military Internet Formation of their Individual Purchasing & Group Investment Power, that's important. In this, sequence is key.

Why? Because there are Natural Social Laws – in mathematical sequence – that are just like Natural Physical Laws, such as the Law of Gravity. You must follow those Natural Social Laws or the result will be Injustice, War, etc.

The FIRST step in Natural Social Law is to CONTROL the Banks as Bank Owner-Voters. If you do not, you will inevitably be UNJUSTLY EXPLOITED by the Top 10% Management Group of Business & Government who have a Legitimate Profit Motive, just like you, to do so.

Consequently, you have no choice but to become Candidates (or Leaders) yourselves as Bank Owner-Voters according to your current Occupation & Generation.

So please JOIN the 2nd link, so we can make our support clicks at AmericansElect.org when called for by e-mail from the group in the 2nd link, and then you will see and feel how your goals can be accomplished within the strategy of the 1st link as a “new” Candidate (or Leader) of your Occupation & Generation.