You'll recall that when David Wilkins got back from Ottawa he shared the fact that our friends in The Great White North were highly disturbed by the "Buy American" provisions in the House version of the stimulus — and by the protectionist insecurities that fueled it. It's good that President Obama went up there to try to still some of those concerns.
I've also shared a VERY strongly worded opinion on the subject from the U.K.
Now, I see this opinion piece by Peter Beattie, in which he asserts that "Now is not the time to pull down the shutters and get all protectionist."
You'll remember Mr. Beattie, who was here last year lecturing at USC. He's the former prime minister of Queensland, our sister state in Australia. His piece is worth reading.
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Brad wrote:
” . . . Queensland, our sister state in Australia.”
We have a SISTER STATE in Australia?!
You’ve got to be KIDDING me! Why has this been kept such a secret from me all these years?
How “official” is this “sisterhood” status, anyway? Do we need a passport to go there? Do we get special discounts on food and lodging if we were to visit there? Are there ANY advantages to this sister-statehood?
If not, then why even mention it? Doing so in such a matter-of-fact manner seems to me to be about as silly as the use of the word, “issue” when one means “problem” or the use of the verb “to share” rather than the more declarative verb “to tell.”
If only I could get so very wrapped up in such fine nuances of daily living that facts like the socio-governmental relationships between far-flung political entities would just roll off my tongue (or, if typing, my fingers) with such ease! Perhaps, if such were the case, I would have more blind faith in government and the pragmatic fiat money system rather than be the hopelessly cynical Constitutionalist that I am.
The Economist, a really fine “newspaper” (as they refer to themselves) has an article this week about how much of the world is resorting to their versions of “buy American” due to the economic downturn. This is the worst possible time for this. Narrowing markets only drives up prices forcing us to stretch limited financial resources thinner. Products will be produced the most affordabley in a free trade world. It is time for the United States and China (yes, China) to take the lead in reducing if not eliminating trade barriers across the globe. In a time of international financial crisis widespread cooperation rather than national protectionism is what will result in the best long term results.
The Economist, a really fine “newspaper” (as they refer to themselves) has an article this week about how much of the world is resorting to their versions of “buy American” due to the economic downturn. This is the worst possible time for this. Narrowing markets only drives up prices forcing us to stretch limited financial resources thinner. Products will be produced the most affordabley in a free trade world. It is time for the United States and China (yes, China) to take the lead in reducing if not eliminating trade barriers across the globe. In a time of international financial crisis widespread cooperation rather than national protectionism is what will result in the best long term results.
Working Tommy C,
I just wanted to say out loud – THAT was funny!
Yes, Greg that was the VERY strongly worded opinion piece on the subject I mentioned above. It was from The Economist…
They sold me.
I was actually referring to the piece on Pg. 59 of the Feb.21st issue but the one you link is just as good if not better.
The editors of The Economist make a fine living telling us working folks that we have to lower our standard of living that of the illiterate factory workers in socialist slave states of Asia.
Most of them have never worked in industry.
Like the Clintons and other socialist elites, they will get rich selling out Western civilization, but they don’t care, because they will be dead by the time it all collapes. In the mean time, these losers who couldn’t make an honest living, can come from nowhere and live like kings by giving away the accumulated wealth of 20 generations of intellect and industry.
Exporting our jobs to slaves overseas or to illegal aliens at home is as immoral as bringing slaves here from Africa to do the work.
Your calling the editorial board of The Economist socialist, to me at least, mind boggling. I have read it for thirty years and it has always stood strongly for free markets and for free trade and not for government ownership of the economy. I do not always agree with them but find their positions to be well thought out and researched and a long way from socialist.
The Economist is what I call pseudo-free-market. They support open borders, free movement of labor and other things which are not necessarily free market, but they DO work to benefit the advance of globalism, socialism, and international fascism composed of big business and big government cooperating to suppress small business.
I only read The Economist when I encounter it in a waiting room. I cannot remember when I last read anything in there with any insight, probably because so few of the writers have any direct knowledge of business.
They are not intentionally deceitful skilled writers, like you see in Harpers.
Open borders, which takes government out of the equation, is the very essence of free market economics. To maintain otherwise strikes me as doublespeak.
Taking governments out of control of territory is anarchy. Globalists only promote that when it suits their political interests. If they had a world government with no countries, do you really believe you would be able to travel freely, much less work where you wanted and for whom?
Free market economics stops when the idiotic or devious application of it would be dangerous. Selling anti-aircraft missiles to Al Qaeda might be good business for a few people, but dangerous for millions of others in America.
The same is true for a few businesses enriching themselves off illegal aliens and immigrants. When a software company hires cheap, lower-skilled workers with false credentials in order to suppress wages of all its skilled employees, it is practicing fraud.
There are so many areas in which the government is currently interfering with the free market outside its authority, to the detriment of society, that we who love liberty and capitalism should be focusing our efforts on reform there, not in misguided support of anti-capitalist activities masquerading as free market.
It is not possible to buy the america
Christena
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er ol Pete was no “prime minister of Queensland” we have only one prime minister for the entire country. What ol pete was the premier for the state of QLD and an atrocious one at that! Its bizarre to hear him prattling about protectionist ideas when his prodigy Anna Bligh is selling our beautiful state and all assets to foreign ownership. Beattie is a joke, we are all hoping he stays in your country for good!