Free Trade Agreements- Good or Bad?

[Minor Axis]

I think the initial point of this argument is somewhat dulled by the fact that so-called Free Trade agreements are not in fact free trade.

I only use the term "Free Trade Agreement" because that is what they are called. I see nothing "free" about them either.

 

[Minor Axis]

Are Corporations Moral?

The word nation connotes a group with common interests. As a nation do we owe each other anything such as mutual moral and economic support?

If so is there anything moral about:
1) Out sourcing jobs so the corporation can avoid paying health and retirement benefits to their workers?
2) Out sourcing jobs to foreign countries to reduce wages?
3) Sending jobs to polluting countries to create a lower cost product?

There is absolutely no morality in this at all. You can argue as a pragmatist that corporations are just doing what they do, make money and try to make more money. I'll counter that since some (many?) corporations feel no responsibility to their country or to their fellow citizens, that it is up to the government to be proactive in this area.

 

[Minor Axis]

China Olympics Hit Home Our Economic Decisions
Visibility was about a mile and a half at Bejing's airport due to smog. I find this extremely symbolic, the transfer of an economic boom and industrial pollution from countries who understand the importance clean air, whose citizens will not accept dirty air, but whose corporate leaders have no moral objection to shifting valuable manufacturing jobs to a overseas location without environmental laws to turn a larger profit. Until the world is on the same page there will be no such thing as free trade. In the mean time the only freedom is for corporations to disenfranchise their employees. Google "China's Dirty Air" for pages of links.

Cleaning Up Beijing's Dirty Air.

Washington Post- Olympic Teams Prepare