Free Trade,? Globalization? My A***

[Yavin4]

Defenders of "free trade" on this forum and others are being duped into believing the economic hype. There is no free trade. What passes for "free trade" is really nothing more than global corporate exploitation of cheap labor and de-regulated markets.

Case in point, it's perfectly fine, dandy, and legal to send millions of decent-paying IT jobs and careers overseas to India because it's cheaper for corporations, BUT it's illegal for Americans to buy cheaper prescriptions drugs from overseas:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2883-2003Oct22.html

[Booger]

1. I do my best

to not buy products from places like Wal-Mart, or any place that sells foreign made widgets.

It's impossible to not buy some things though.
But you do what you can.

[Maple]

2. Then I guess it's yer ass

because you've totally mangled several quite different topics, and blamed everyone else for YOUR negotiating teams and internal problems.

[G_j]

3. FTAA

From Oxfam America,
10/23

Have you heard of the FTAA -- the Free Trade Area of the
Americas? The name might sound harmless, but in reality this
massive trade agreement could hurt hundreds of millions of
people.

We need your help to stop this from happening. Email Congress
now by clicking on the link below!

http://ga0.org/campaign/ftaa/ii578x2y7kbw6t

The FTAA is an expansion of the controversial trade agreement
known as NAFTA and it will affect 800 million people from Canada
to Argentina.

But average people don't get a chance to give any input on the
agreement that will seriously affect their lives. The FTAA
negotiations are being held in almost total secrecy.

Global trade can be a powerful tool to reduce poverty, but only
if the rules that govern trade are fair. The proposed FTAA
agreement could devastate millions of poor people, compromise
public health, destroy our environment, and strip local
governments and communities of their power.

Who's most likely to BENEFIT from the FTAA? Influential
multinational corporations that helped craft the agreement
behind closed doors.

Act now before it's too late! In just a few weeks, thirty-four
governments throughout the Americas will meet in Miami to
negotiate the FTAA.

Please send an email now to your senators and your
representative. Click on the link below:

http://ga0.org/campaign/ftaa/ii578x2y7kbw6t

Demand that they oppose the FTAA unless it seriously considers
the millions of people who will be directly affected by it.
Positive alternatives are possible.

Together, we can stop the proposed FTAA from destroying lives.

Sincerely,

David Moore, Internet Campaign Organizer
Brian Rawson, Trade Campaign Organizer

Oxfam America

p.s. -- We're going to need everyone's help to stop this
agreement. So once you've sent your email, please follow the
online prompts to send this alert to your friends and family.
Word of mouth is the key to make a difference on this huge
issue.