You make many statements that are obviously true, but your conclusions, feh. I also agree with free trade is fundamentally morally superior, especially in an abtract Adam Smith we-make-bread-you-make-wine world. In the real world, things seem to be much less certain, because relative advantage is created not only by productivity of workers and existance of infrastructure, but by various countries' willingness to allow pollution (an externality we all bear the cost of), dangerous working conditions, or child labor, as well as differing tax structures
( ... )
So, I read something awhile back saying that it was sort of hypocritical to expect developing nations to follow pollution and worker safety rules that we have now, when we didn't hamper ourselves with them while we were developing.
Sure, you can say that we didn't know that dumping all those chemicals into the bay was such a bad idea at the time. But, that's like smokers saying that no one told them that inhaling smoke was such a bad idea.
I've heard that too...tweAugust 16 2004, 19:26:47 UTC
.. but then compare the population of Europe in the 19th century to China and India now and think about how much more efficiently they pollute and what the relative harm to the planet would.
Anyway, the argument that stupid things have been done in the past, therefore we shouldn't have to be smart now never impressed me.
I'm not going to argue that all developing nations should be forced to adopt modern safety or labor practices. However, I will argue that we have the right as a nation to adjust our tax structure.
"Much of the recent whining about offshoring has been triggered by a perception that it is no longer merely manufacturing jobs that are being transferred overseas, but that now relatively skilled white-collar jobs are being "exported". Why is this of more concern
( ... )
Re: What's newkirisutogomenAugust 17 2004, 12:29:09 UTC
All good points.
Job growth hasn't actually been all that slow, despite what people claim. That's a fine example of perceptions lagging reality by a year or more. Job growth in positions paying above median wages has also been plenty more than in low-paying jobs, despite what people are trying to tell us.
Similarly, the economy actually is booming. Maybe not sustainably, but real GDP grew 4.8% in the year ending June 30. It hasn't grown that fast since Reagan.
I don't think service industry specialization is more evenly distributed than manufacturing. I have absolutely no data or source on this; I'm just guessing.
I'm not going to excuse extreme rhetoric just because everyone else is doing it. I also can't think of a position being taken by the Bush campaign that engages in the same level of nastiness focused on a particular group in our country. Someone should remind me of what I'm forgetting, as I can't say I'd be stunned by a counterexample.
Comments 14
Reply
Sure, you can say that we didn't know that dumping all those chemicals into the bay was such a bad idea at the time. But, that's like smokers saying that no one told them that inhaling smoke was such a bad idea.
Reply
Anyway, the argument that stupid things have been done in the past, therefore we shouldn't have to be smart now never impressed me.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Job growth hasn't actually been all that slow, despite what people claim. That's a fine example of perceptions lagging reality by a year or more. Job growth in positions paying above median wages has also been plenty more than in low-paying jobs, despite what people are trying to tell us.
Similarly, the economy actually is booming. Maybe not sustainably, but real GDP grew 4.8% in the year ending June 30. It hasn't grown that fast since Reagan.
I don't think service industry specialization is more evenly distributed than manufacturing. I have absolutely no data or source on this; I'm just guessing.
I'm not going to excuse extreme rhetoric just because everyone else is doing it. I also can't think of a position being taken by the Bush campaign that engages in the same level of nastiness focused on a particular group in our country. Someone should remind me of what I'm forgetting, as I can't say I'd be stunned by a counterexample.
Reply
Leave a comment