Dems' trade threat - Effect of electing Kerry/Edwards would be "tragic"

[Riprorin]

Dems' trade threat

SVENSKA DAGBLADET STOCKHOLM, JULY 12

President Bush has rightly been criticized for his protectionist steel tariffs, but Sen. John Kerry constitutes a far bigger threat against free trade, particularly with his vice presidential selection Sen. John Edwards.

Kerry sounds like a protectionist in his rhetoric, but at least he has not voted that way in Congress. Edwards has been more inclined to talk and act as a true friend of border obstacles.

To the surrounding world, there is a reason to think of what role the United States should play on the global stage if Kerry and Edwards are elected in November.

Where the fight against terrorism is concerned, not much will likely change, but the effect of the duo's tax proposals and trade policy is hardly favorable to an economy that has, in many respects, been the engine of the world. And the efforts to introduce products from the world's poorest countries to the global market would be far more at risk with a pair of protectionists in the White House.

That would be a tragedy.

Link

 

[Kibbo]

Pick up a Canadian newspaper, and tell me the Republicans aren't protectionist.

I agree with you the protectionist rhetoric of the Democrats is concerning, but up here the pundits aren't saying it will be any worse, just that it will not get any better.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Originally posted by: Kibbo
Pick up a Canadian newspaper, and tell me the Republicans aren't protectionist.

I agree with you the protectionist rhetoric of the Democrats is concerning, but up here the pundits aren't saying it will be any worse, just that it will not get any better.

Soft wood
shrimp
steel
furniture
textiles

The Democratic legislature and Democratic president have been busy.:roll:

Curiously, these protectionist inclinations have done little more than protect the profits of certain companies . . . not jobs. Fortunately, Bushologues decided to invade Iraq . . . that way Halliburton and Bechtel could get a choice contracts without fear of competition.

Oops, I forgot beef, dairy, and sugar . . .

 

[Vadatajs]

I can't believe you would side with a swedish source on economic policy.

What's your favorite aspect of the Swedish economy rip? Is it their extreme socalism? Their welfare state?

Oh, and link the article next time, asshat. The front page (in swedish) doesn't add to your credibility in the slightest.

 

[Spamela]

if it's on a swedish web site, then it must be true.

 

[Hossenfeffer]

Originally posted by: Spamela
if it's on a swedish web site, then it must be true.

That'll be the tagline for my new 24 hour news network.

 

[Speedy3D!]

I'm getting so sick of this. Our trade policy for the past few decades has been terrible, we have lost (and given away) an incredible amount of ENTIRE industries (TV, Microwave, virtually all manufacturing), and have huge and long running trade deficit. What America needs is to be more "protectionist" of its industries with tariffs and such so that our workers can compete globally. Every other country on Earth does it, but America doesn't.

Read books such as the "America: Who Stole the Dream?" (by pulitzer prize winning investigative reporters) link or Global Inequalities link

Both sides, Dem & Rep have practiced terrible trade policies for the past few decades and I think that it would be nice for a president to look out for the individual worker for once, and not the corporate CEOs who profit from America's bad trade policies.

 

[f95toli]

Just for the record, Svenska Dagbladet is a right wing newspaper, as far away from "socialist" you can get in Europe.

And why "extreme socalism"? The political system is bascially the same as in for example the U.K.

 

[Kibbo]

A basic measure of socialism (or the lack therof)would be the gap between the rich and the poor.

This measure is the average income of the richest 10%/poorest 10%
From the UN Human Development Index, posted elsewhere in the forums.

US: 15.9
UK: 13.8
Canada: 10.1
Sweden: 6.2

When political scientists compare welfare statesof Western nations, they often categorize the categories as being either Anglo/American or corporatist/statist.

Canada, the U.S., the UK, and Australia are anglo american.
Most European nations are corporatist.
Sweden and Norway are sometimes separated further and called Socialist.

The anglo-american systems are typified by a low degree of state ownership (private schools and hospitals), and redistribution only to a minimal degree. We see welfare and employment isurance as a safety net, not an entitlement.

 

[sandorski]

It's on a Swedish website, it must be a LIE!! ;rolleyes:

The US has a piss poor "free trade" record. It doesn't matter who's in power, even in the Senate where most "Protectionism" comes from, if enough Senators can buy some Votes to stay in Power, they'll do it.

 

[AcidicFury]

I would like to see some European reports from some big players- France, Germany, UK- in order to see whether it would tragic if the US were to elect Kerry/Edwards.