A simple fun challenge that I hope every DU'er will take. You may learn something too!

[Union Yes]

Challenge: In the coming days, please ask those close to you- friends, loved ones, family, in-laws, co workers etc. Ask them if they support or oppose our "Free Trade" policies. NAFTA, CAFTA, GATT/WTO.

Sorta like conducting your own mini-poll whether folks you know support or oppose "Free Trade" and it's effects on America. If they support or oppose America giving away our manufacturing, tech, IT, customer service sectors, mostly to China and India.

Keep a tally to yourself. Note the people who oppose FT and those who support FT. Chances are good that you won't find anyone who supports our hideous FT policies.

When I said you may learn something..

What I've learned- No one that I know supports FT. EVERYONE I know despises FT.

Anti-"Free Trade" populist outrage is SKY FUCKING HIGH!

If only we had a political party that had the courage to grasp this outrage and push to repeal our disgraceful FT policies. Popularity and support for that party would be SKY FUCKING HIGH!

Please give this challenge a try. I guarantee it will be an eye opener.

Peace and Happy Holidays DU!
UY


EDIT: Perhaps you've already done this. You've already asked many people close to you. Please reply with what you've learned from them.

[RC]

1. I wish people would spell things out.

You have a full size keyboard and this ain't twidder.

[Union Yes]

7. What would you like to know? Ask. I don't bite =)

[Little Star]

2. Won't we get called protectionist?

[Tansy_Gold]

3. And that's a good thing. n/t

[Union Yes]

4. Answer: FT is corporate protectionism at it's essence.

Also, I never said that you have to debate them. Just ask them what their view of FT is. Whether they support or oppose FT. Make sense?

You can surely debate them if you choose. I'm simply asking that you just ask what their view is. Debate their answer if you like or don't. Up to you.:)

[Little Star]

6. Sorry. I am on your side. I hate FT. I meant here on DU

that we would get called protectionists. I can tell you, I know not one person who likes so called free trade.

[Union Yes]

9. Cool. I get what you're saying now.

Peace.

:fistbump:

[defendandprotect]

5. Excellent idea -- and I think the answer is obvious. . . though not discussed in corporate-press . .

and Democatic Party . . . !!???

[Union Yes]

10. The Dem party's indifference to open any FT reform debate makes me..

hurl! :puke:

It's utterly disgusting to me that Dems have laid a rotten egg on this golden opportunity to bring meaningful change to the poor and working class by bringing outsourced jobs back home. Of course, by repealing FT and banning or heavily regulating reimportation.

Dems flushing their political capital down the drain is disgusting. Sorry for the rant. Needed to vent.

Thanks for checkin in. Agree 100%.

Peace

:fistbump:

[defendandprotect]

14. We should be grateful that even at this late date REALITY is hitting DU . . .

and most liberals/progressives . . . and hopefully the tendency to self-delusion

will now be put aside --

Agree re trade agreements -- but remember that Clinton was also responsible for that --

what Repugs can't do, Dems eventually do for them!!!

Like overturning 60 years of welfare guarantees!!!

Harry Reid just stopped any new attempts to negotiate on drug prices in health care!

On and on it goes --

Habeas Corpus -- wiretapping --

The failure to move to re-regulate capitalism . . . !!!

Unregulated capitalism is merely organized crime ---

Capitalism itself is war on the people --

And hope and trust in elected officials who happen to be Democrats though their pockets

are as stuffed with corporate money as Reugs!!

Keep venting -- we need to have more of it, not less!!!

This is an overwhelmingly liberal nation -- though the corporate press does a good job of

hiding that fact from the public.

Liberals/progressives need to unite as a voting bloc and decide on doing something more than

continuing to vote for "the lesser of evils" -- !!!





:)

[Union Yes]

16. Testify! I agree 100%. That's a great 'venting'! =)

I believe a movement to repeal "Free Trade" can and would be that unifying force.

:fistbump:

[Egnever]

8. I'll give it a go!

[Union Yes]

17. Good vibes to you!

:fistbump:

[pampango]

11. The fact that Europe has more "free trade" than the US yet maintains its "manufacturing, tech, IT...

is not relevant, I assume.

Perhaps other policies like progressive taxation, a strong social safety net, protections for unions and workers' rights, effective regulation of corporations and financial markets, and strong national health care, all have something to do with the fact that European countries have more progressive societies (and stronger economies) than us, even though they have more "free trade" than we do.

Europe has proven that "free trade" is not inconsistent with progressive, citizen-oriented societies. Indeed, progressives there have built the EU precisely around "free trade" and open immigration within Europe as integral parts of their goal of uniting the continent and bring it peace and prosperity.

[Union Yes]

12. Name 1 Euro nation that has given it's maunfacturing base away through FT.

FT policy in Europe is not what FT policy is in America.

2 entirely different beasts.

Take a trip to Detroit and open your god damn eyes and see the ravages of our FT policy, oh blind one! Then continue your trip through the entire midwest and continue to see the ravages of FT.

Comparing US FT policy to Europe's is apples to oranges.

[pampango]

13. We may be agreeing that Europe has free trade & has not given away its manufacturing base.

"Free trade" in Europe is the same as "free trade" in the US. A French or English company can build a factory in Romania or Italy, just like a US company can build one in Mexico or Australia. A car made in Poland can be sold in Germany just like a car made in Canada can be sold in the US.

What is different is that the costs and benefits of "free trade" (and progressive there believe there is a net benefit or that wouldn't insist that it be an integral part of forming the EU) are shared fairly throughout society rather than one class receiving the benefits and another class suffering the costs.

Do you really believe that all of Detroit's problems are due to "free trade" and that all of the other regressive policies that are a part of our society have nothing to do with it? If the "free trade" "beast" works in Europe (progressive) and doesn't work in the US (regressive) could one not conclude that the most critical difference is not the "beast" (same in both places) but the society (progressive vs. regressive) that it lives in?

Bringing back Herbert Hoover's tariffs, which FDR fought against and formed GATT to prevent happening again, is not only counter-productive (as FDR would attest), but distract from changing more fundamental regressive policies in our society. If we change these more fundamental problems, "free trade" becomes a non-issue or, as in Europe, a positive contribution to society.

[M155Y_A1CH]

15. Why not blame...

Why not blame corporations callous disregard for it's employees' livelihood and welfare in the race to the cost per unit bottom.

Sustainability, what's that?
Degrade your workforce in USA and loose your community and customer bases here as well?

Who makes these decisions?

[girl gone mad]

18. Who makes these decisions?

The presumed best and brightest MBA grads from America's supposedly prestigious ivy league universities.

[SoCalDem]

19. Possible replies from most people

NAFTA, ...isn't that an old-timey cleaning fluid?

CAFTA.... isn't that a Starbucks drink?

GATT... isn't what old-timey gangsters called their guns?

WTO... weren't they a rock group in the 70's..or was that a muscle car? no wait that was a "G" TO ..or maybe it's a sandwich?