Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Why Isn't Obama Pushing Free Trade Agreements To Create Private Sector Jobs And Grow The Economy?

A comment I posted on Carpe Diem, "Inexcusable: Obama's Failure to Pass the FTAs" by Mark Perry.
To add to the idiocy of the administration's support of the anti-free trade, union position is that private sector union membership in manufacturing and construction is only 7.2 percent, a decline from the 35 percent peak in the 1950s.

State, local and federal government workers make up the majority, 52 percent, of union members. 43 percent of local government workers are union members.

So it is basically the teachers, the firemen, the policemen, the garbage man and other local community workers who live off everyone's tax dollars, have generous pensions, health benefits, vacation and sick days and who have not felt the effects of the recession and layoffs anywhere near the same extent as the private sector.

People who do not make anything, who do not compete in international markets, who need not worry about international trade and competition, and who do not have to worry about private sector job creation are the ones stopping the US economy from expanding, adding private sector jobs and from benefiting from free trade agreements.

1 comment :

  1. It doesn't take a PHD to know that free trade agreements beginning with NAFTA have destroyed this countrys economy. the "swoosh" that you heard after NAFTA and the 26 trade agreements that folllowed was industry leaving for more profit after the tariffs were removed forcing American labor to compete against 3rd. world countries. we have lost control of our tax base,manufactoring, R&D and food safety. Union strength beginning world War ll is what raised our living standards, we are now at the mercy of a corrupt and immoral political system, will Phoenix rise out of he ashes - I doubt it.

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