More on the decline of America
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It's my pot and I'll stir it if I want to. If you're not careful, I'll stir your's as well!
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From: Central Mexico.
More on the decline of America
This morning I read a story by Henry Lamb that may should be of interest to ALL Americans. I have included the story in this post and am interested in your comments not only about the story itself, but as to how YOU, Mr. Average American, can stop the further demise of your country. Here it is:
The acronyms NAFTA, CAFTA, and the WTO are a weird blend of alphabet soup that provides nourishment for almost all participants – except the United States.
The people who lost their jobs when 354 textile plants closed, just since 1997, are not nourished by this alphabet soup – the people in Asian sweat shops are.
The farmers in Iowa, and across the country, whose exports are declining, are not nourished by this alphabet soup – non-American farmers are.
As our trade deficit worsens, our trading partners get healthier, while Americans suffer.
These trade agreements were sold to Congress, and to the American people, as "Free Trade" agreements. Nothing could be further from the truth. These agreements are actually mountains of regulations, developed and enforced by unelected bureaucrats. They are, in fact, agreements by participating nations, to allow unelected bureaucrats to manage trade among the participants.
These trade agreements have extraordinary legal power. The decisions of an appointed international tribunal have the power to force participating nations to conform their laws to comply with the tribunal's decisions – or face economic penalties.
Since these trade agreements are international in nature, and have the force of law, they are actually treaties, which require a super-majority in the Senate for ratification. By calling them "trade agreements," instead of the treaties they are, only a simple majority is needed for passage.
After 10 years of watching plant closings and swelling trade deficits, the administration, and many in Congress, have now pushed through another Central American Free Trade Agreement – CAFTA. But the reasons we should not be in this entanglement go far beyond the adverse economic impacts.
This agreement will create a trade-governing mechanism in the Western hemisphere similar to the European Common Market, and its subsequent European Union. The sales pitch in the United States claimed the agreement will open new markets for U.S. products. In reality, it opens new opportunities for American industry to move to countries where labor costs are a fraction of U.S. labor costs, and where environmental and regulatory compliance costs are almost non-existent.
These agreements open U.S. markets to products produced without the safety and environmental standards – and the attendant costs – that U.S. products must include. That's why an America flag made in America costs twice as much as a flag made in Mexico, or China. That's why the Florida tomato industry evaporated when NAFTA went into force. That's why the American economy is losing its capacity to produce the products Americans need. Each new agreement makes the United States more and more dependent upon other nations for the products it requires.
Once the capacity to produce is lost, the possibility of rebuilding that capacity is remote. Consider what it would take to rebuild the steel industry to the level that it could supply American demand. Not only is the cost prohibitive, but the regulatory climate is also prohibitive. It is the regulatory climate that has prevented the energy industry from keeping up with demand. That's why our dependence on foreign sources of energy has continued to rise, from decade to decade.
Congress, and the American people, should realize that the ultimate goal of these trade agreements has nothing to do with what is best for the United States, or its people. It has everything to do with benefiting everyone else. Congress, and the American people, should realize that the prosperity this nation has built is the result of self-reliance, which we should not allow to be traded away.
Finally, there is the matter of national sovereignty. Proponents of these trade agreements praise the dispute resolution process that forces compliance by all participants. They claim this provides a degree of predictability on which business can depend. It also forces Americans to submit to a force of law that was not enacted by elected representatives. This grinds underfoot the whole concept of "... government empowered by the consent of the governed."
When Americans are forced to comply with a ruling of an appointed international tribunal, the idea of national sovereignty goes out the window. This, of course, is prerequisite to the emergence of global governance. NAFTA, CAFTA, and the WTO are more than nourishment for the one-worlders. They are vitamin-packed, steroid-enriched injections of global governance.
Henry Lamb is the executive vice president of the Environmental Conservation Organization and chairman of Sovereignty International.
The acronyms NAFTA, CAFTA, and the WTO are a weird blend of alphabet soup that provides nourishment for almost all participants – except the United States.
The people who lost their jobs when 354 textile plants closed, just since 1997, are not nourished by this alphabet soup – the people in Asian sweat shops are.
The farmers in Iowa, and across the country, whose exports are declining, are not nourished by this alphabet soup – non-American farmers are.
As our trade deficit worsens, our trading partners get healthier, while Americans suffer.
These trade agreements were sold to Congress, and to the American people, as "Free Trade" agreements. Nothing could be further from the truth. These agreements are actually mountains of regulations, developed and enforced by unelected bureaucrats. They are, in fact, agreements by participating nations, to allow unelected bureaucrats to manage trade among the participants.
These trade agreements have extraordinary legal power. The decisions of an appointed international tribunal have the power to force participating nations to conform their laws to comply with the tribunal's decisions – or face economic penalties.
Since these trade agreements are international in nature, and have the force of law, they are actually treaties, which require a super-majority in the Senate for ratification. By calling them "trade agreements," instead of the treaties they are, only a simple majority is needed for passage.
After 10 years of watching plant closings and swelling trade deficits, the administration, and many in Congress, have now pushed through another Central American Free Trade Agreement – CAFTA. But the reasons we should not be in this entanglement go far beyond the adverse economic impacts.
This agreement will create a trade-governing mechanism in the Western hemisphere similar to the European Common Market, and its subsequent European Union. The sales pitch in the United States claimed the agreement will open new markets for U.S. products. In reality, it opens new opportunities for American industry to move to countries where labor costs are a fraction of U.S. labor costs, and where environmental and regulatory compliance costs are almost non-existent.
These agreements open U.S. markets to products produced without the safety and environmental standards – and the attendant costs – that U.S. products must include. That's why an America flag made in America costs twice as much as a flag made in Mexico, or China. That's why the Florida tomato industry evaporated when NAFTA went into force. That's why the American economy is losing its capacity to produce the products Americans need. Each new agreement makes the United States more and more dependent upon other nations for the products it requires.
Once the capacity to produce is lost, the possibility of rebuilding that capacity is remote. Consider what it would take to rebuild the steel industry to the level that it could supply American demand. Not only is the cost prohibitive, but the regulatory climate is also prohibitive. It is the regulatory climate that has prevented the energy industry from keeping up with demand. That's why our dependence on foreign sources of energy has continued to rise, from decade to decade.
Congress, and the American people, should realize that the ultimate goal of these trade agreements has nothing to do with what is best for the United States, or its people. It has everything to do with benefiting everyone else. Congress, and the American people, should realize that the prosperity this nation has built is the result of self-reliance, which we should not allow to be traded away.
Finally, there is the matter of national sovereignty. Proponents of these trade agreements praise the dispute resolution process that forces compliance by all participants. They claim this provides a degree of predictability on which business can depend. It also forces Americans to submit to a force of law that was not enacted by elected representatives. This grinds underfoot the whole concept of "... government empowered by the consent of the governed."
When Americans are forced to comply with a ruling of an appointed international tribunal, the idea of national sovereignty goes out the window. This, of course, is prerequisite to the emergence of global governance. NAFTA, CAFTA, and the WTO are more than nourishment for the one-worlders. They are vitamin-packed, steroid-enriched injections of global governance.
Henry Lamb is the executive vice president of the Environmental Conservation Organization and chairman of Sovereignty International.
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It seems theres a lot ot truth to the story. In my neck of the woods its apparent the gap between have and the have nots is spreading. I find it amazing at times to hear that the economy is so great currently and for some it is IMO. I wont take that fact away that I see more homes being bought here at a all time high of $$, a typical 2 bdroom is 400K +, and million dollar + homes ar the norm.Theres 52 acres by us of goat trail,buck brush worthless hill property on special for 750,000K. how does one even begin to afford something like this?? New cars,trucks,RV`s etc. Its great to see this but behind the curtain it seems its like a crome plated turd. I see more homeless here on the streets in this place most call paradise.
What is the point of a one world economy?? Not in a million years will any other country/people live like we have and will continue to.(except the saudi oil barons) What are all the unemployed people supposed to do when all the jobs are overseas?
Guess Ill never make it as a politician.
What is the point of a one world economy?? Not in a million years will any other country/people live like we have and will continue to.(except the saudi oil barons) What are all the unemployed people supposed to do when all the jobs are overseas?
Guess Ill never make it as a politician.
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From: The Garden State
Re: More on the decline of America
Originally posted by Mexstan
...When Americans are forced to comply with a ruling of an appointed international tribunal, the idea of national sovereignty goes out the window. This, of course, is prerequisite to the emergence of global governance. NAFTA, CAFTA, and the WTO are more than nourishment for the one-worlders. They are vitamin-packed, steroid-enriched injections of global governance.
...When Americans are forced to comply with a ruling of an appointed international tribunal, the idea of national sovereignty goes out the window. This, of course, is prerequisite to the emergence of global governance. NAFTA, CAFTA, and the WTO are more than nourishment for the one-worlders. They are vitamin-packed, steroid-enriched injections of global governance.
Yes, America is in a decline. Why? Our physical country is not declining, we still have some of the greatest natural resources in the world. Then what? US, yes US the people. We have become too complacent, too greedy, too stupid,too lazy to care and do something. When it will hurt too much we will wake up. Keep in mind that it in not the "large corporations" that give away out jobs, we own those corporations, through pension plans, IRA accounts, investments, etc. It is not the government that makes bad decisions, we are the government, remember "We the people..." we just do not make the effort. It is not the lawyers, it is you and I sitting on the juries that award the idiotic sums to "victims" It is not the school, it is us sitting on the school boards not becuse we can make it better but to satisfy some ego or hunger for power, that messes up the future of our kids. It is time that we realized where the tru problem is and acted on it, instead of blaming inanimate objects or institutions. Or if it does not hurt too bad yet maybe later...
Well thats the way I see it, I could be wrong...
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From: U.P. Mi.
its not just factories that are moving, large companys have their techincal support, customer service and main offices in foreign countries now. its a shame, but we are in no way moving foreward, just getting lazier and less willing to work for ourselves. 
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From: Cookeville, Tn
MCMLV, you said you do not have the economic knowledge to make that call? How many of our elected officials do you think are anymore knowledgeable about economics than you are? I'm guessing 80% of our elected officials are lawyers do I have to say anymore????
This "Global Economy" sounds great until it affects you. I hadn't really thought a whole lot about NAFTA until it hit my house! It's kinda like the saying "It's a RECESSION when your neighbor losses his job, it's a DEPRESSION when you lose yours" there is alot of truth to that. What I feel has happened is we have been sold out by our goverment. As far as it being our fault I think you are mostly right about that. I wonder how much money or BS it takes for an elected official to vote for something that he knows not one of his constituants would want him to vote for?
Sorry for the rant! I guess I better get to job hunting!
This "Global Economy" sounds great until it affects you. I hadn't really thought a whole lot about NAFTA until it hit my house! It's kinda like the saying "It's a RECESSION when your neighbor losses his job, it's a DEPRESSION when you lose yours" there is alot of truth to that. What I feel has happened is we have been sold out by our goverment. As far as it being our fault I think you are mostly right about that. I wonder how much money or BS it takes for an elected official to vote for something that he knows not one of his constituants would want him to vote for?
Sorry for the rant! I guess I better get to job hunting!
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From: The Garden State
You are right Barry, maybe I was just trying to over simplify, but I still stand by the notion that the answer lies with us the people.
Peter
ON edit: A long time ago when I first heard Kennedy's "Ask not what your country can do for you..." ( I was still young and stupid) I thought how lame, after all it is the country that has to do for us. If that remark is not the timeliest thing now I do not know what can be. We are the country.
Peter
ON edit: A long time ago when I first heard Kennedy's "Ask not what your country can do for you..." ( I was still young and stupid) I thought how lame, after all it is the country that has to do for us. If that remark is not the timeliest thing now I do not know what can be. We are the country.
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From: Eastern & Western Merryland
Re: More on the decline of America
Originally posted by Mexstan
This morning I read a story...snip...
This morning I read a story...snip...
It is so much easier to let it go rather than stirring the pot.
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It's my pot and I'll stir it if I want to. If you're not careful, I'll stir your's as well!
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From: Central Mexico.
It is great fun to stir the pot and see what boils up from the bottom. It has been enjoyable to at times, yank your chains, sit back and watch the reponses.
However, joking aside, this is a VERY serious subject as have been others I have brought up in the past. More than once I have said: "AMERICA, WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!" I am still saying it. So why do I keep harping on things like this and more? Because I see a great country going down the tubes. Part of me is selfish, because as America heads downhill to soon become a minor country, I am personally affected - as are millions of you Americans and of course your Canadian neighbors.
This coming Saturday could be a bad day for your country. Sure hope not.
In some of the subjects I have brought up on DTR in the past, I will be extremely happy to be proven wrong.
However, joking aside, this is a VERY serious subject as have been others I have brought up in the past. More than once I have said: "AMERICA, WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!" I am still saying it. So why do I keep harping on things like this and more? Because I see a great country going down the tubes. Part of me is selfish, because as America heads downhill to soon become a minor country, I am personally affected - as are millions of you Americans and of course your Canadian neighbors.
This coming Saturday could be a bad day for your country. Sure hope not.
In some of the subjects I have brought up on DTR in the past, I will be extremely happy to be proven wrong.
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From: Cummins Technical Center, IN
Originally posted by apache
It seems theres a lot ot truth to the story. In my neck of the woods its apparent the gap between have and the have nots is spreading.
It seems theres a lot ot truth to the story. In my neck of the woods its apparent the gap between have and the have nots is spreading.
jmo
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From: Cummins Technical Center, IN
Oh, and May I post something from Walter E. Williams on the "trade deficit?"
Originally posted to Townhall.com by Walter E. Williams
I buy more from my grocer than he buys from me, and I bet it's the same with you and your grocer. That means we have a trade deficit with our grocers. Does our perpetual grocer trade deficit portend doom? If we heeded some pundits and politicians who are talking about our national trade deficit, we might think so. But do we have a trade deficit in the first place? Let's look at it.
Insofar as the grocer example, there are two accounts that I hold. One is my "goods" account, which consists of groceries. The other is my "capital" account, which consists of money. Let's look at what happens when I purchase groceries. Say I purchase $100 worth of groceries. The value of my goods account rises by $100. That rise is matched by an equal $100 decline in my capital account. Adding a plus $100 to a minus $100 yields a perfect trade balance. That transaction, from my grocer's point of view, results in his goods account falling by $100, but when he accepts my cash, his capital account rises by $100, again a trade balance.
The principle here differs not one iota if my grocer was located in another country as opposed to down the street. There'd still be a trade balance when both the goods account and the capital account are considered. Imbalances in goods accounts are all over the place. For example, my grocer buys more from his wholesaler than his wholesaler buys from him. The wholesaler buys more from the manufacturer than the manufacturer buys from him, but when we put capital accounts into the mix, in each case, trade is balanced.
International trade operates under the identical principle. When we as consumers purchase goods from China, and the Chinese don't purchase a like amount of goods from us, it is said that there's a trade deficit. But instead of purchasing goods, the Chinese might purchase corporate stocks, bonds or U.S. Treasury debt instruments. Just as in my grocer example, there is a balance of trade. The deficit in our nation's goods and services account, sometimes called current account, is matched by a surplus of equal magnitude in our capital account. A large portion of surpluses in our capital account consists of U.S. Treasury debt instruments held by foreigners. As of June 2004, China held nearly $200 billion, Japan over $1 trillion, and Europe combined held over $2 trillion.
Some politicians gripe about all the U.S. debt held by foreigners. Only a politician can have that kind of audacity. Guess who's creating the debt instruments that foreigners hold? If you said it's our profligate Congress, go to the head of the class. If foreigners didn't purchase so much of our debt, we'd be worse off in terms of higher inflation and interest rates. What about the possibility of foreigners dumping our debt? Foreigners aren't stupid. Dumping large amounts of Treasury bonds would drive down their value. Foreigners as well as we would take a hit.
The fact that foreigners are willing to exchange massive amounts of goods in exchange for slips of paper in the forms of currency, stocks and bonds should be a source of pride. It means America, with its wealth, rule of law and the sanctity of contracts, inspires foreigners to hold large amounts of their wealth in U.S. obligations. Their willingness to do so means something else: Trade increases competition. Ultimately it's competition, many producers competing for his dollar, that truly protects the consumer. What protects producers, at the expense of consumers, are restrictions on competition. The quest to restrict competition is what lies at the heart of the trade deficit demagoguery. When's the last time you heard a consumer complaining about his buying more from a Chinese or Japanese producer than that producer buys from him?
I buy more from my grocer than he buys from me, and I bet it's the same with you and your grocer. That means we have a trade deficit with our grocers. Does our perpetual grocer trade deficit portend doom? If we heeded some pundits and politicians who are talking about our national trade deficit, we might think so. But do we have a trade deficit in the first place? Let's look at it.
Insofar as the grocer example, there are two accounts that I hold. One is my "goods" account, which consists of groceries. The other is my "capital" account, which consists of money. Let's look at what happens when I purchase groceries. Say I purchase $100 worth of groceries. The value of my goods account rises by $100. That rise is matched by an equal $100 decline in my capital account. Adding a plus $100 to a minus $100 yields a perfect trade balance. That transaction, from my grocer's point of view, results in his goods account falling by $100, but when he accepts my cash, his capital account rises by $100, again a trade balance.
The principle here differs not one iota if my grocer was located in another country as opposed to down the street. There'd still be a trade balance when both the goods account and the capital account are considered. Imbalances in goods accounts are all over the place. For example, my grocer buys more from his wholesaler than his wholesaler buys from him. The wholesaler buys more from the manufacturer than the manufacturer buys from him, but when we put capital accounts into the mix, in each case, trade is balanced.
International trade operates under the identical principle. When we as consumers purchase goods from China, and the Chinese don't purchase a like amount of goods from us, it is said that there's a trade deficit. But instead of purchasing goods, the Chinese might purchase corporate stocks, bonds or U.S. Treasury debt instruments. Just as in my grocer example, there is a balance of trade. The deficit in our nation's goods and services account, sometimes called current account, is matched by a surplus of equal magnitude in our capital account. A large portion of surpluses in our capital account consists of U.S. Treasury debt instruments held by foreigners. As of June 2004, China held nearly $200 billion, Japan over $1 trillion, and Europe combined held over $2 trillion.
Some politicians gripe about all the U.S. debt held by foreigners. Only a politician can have that kind of audacity. Guess who's creating the debt instruments that foreigners hold? If you said it's our profligate Congress, go to the head of the class. If foreigners didn't purchase so much of our debt, we'd be worse off in terms of higher inflation and interest rates. What about the possibility of foreigners dumping our debt? Foreigners aren't stupid. Dumping large amounts of Treasury bonds would drive down their value. Foreigners as well as we would take a hit.
The fact that foreigners are willing to exchange massive amounts of goods in exchange for slips of paper in the forms of currency, stocks and bonds should be a source of pride. It means America, with its wealth, rule of law and the sanctity of contracts, inspires foreigners to hold large amounts of their wealth in U.S. obligations. Their willingness to do so means something else: Trade increases competition. Ultimately it's competition, many producers competing for his dollar, that truly protects the consumer. What protects producers, at the expense of consumers, are restrictions on competition. The quest to restrict competition is what lies at the heart of the trade deficit demagoguery. When's the last time you heard a consumer complaining about his buying more from a Chinese or Japanese producer than that producer buys from him?
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From: Port Deposit, MD
LAZY!
Upersleder got it right!
MOST teenagers I know are about worthless. It's a common problem among Americans and I tend to think it's our downfall too.
Public schools in most parts of the country are CRAP (mailny because are teachers are under paid and get ZERO respect from the students, teachers OR administrators.
We have forgotten how to work as a "team" on ANYTHING!!!!!!
Upersleder got it right!
MOST teenagers I know are about worthless. It's a common problem among Americans and I tend to think it's our downfall too.
Public schools in most parts of the country are CRAP (mailny because are teachers are under paid and get ZERO respect from the students, teachers OR administrators.
We have forgotten how to work as a "team" on ANYTHING!!!!!!