NAFTA; What did we learn?

A quick look back at NAFTA; how did we do?

Stabilizing trade relations with your bordering neighbors is a smart move indeed. Did NAFTA live up to the objectives set forth? Two decades before we initiated NAFTA, there were issues which needed to be resolved to keep peace and help Mexico move up in the World to her full potential. Today NAFTA, which covers all of North America and Mexico and a few other partners has rules such as 51% of all vehicles are to be built in a NAFTA country. Again the reason why BMW, Mercedes, Honda, Toyota, Nissan all have plants here. Also why American auto makers moved plants just South of the border to save on labor costs and onerous regulations. These from foreign European and Japanese makers thankfully must hire labor from here in the states where they are located, which is good for the workers and employment. But most of modern automobile manufacturing today is built by robotics. And much is also built in Canada and Mexico. In Mexico it costs US companies 50% to send over business equipment as an extra tariff. US companies have huge factories over the borders in Juarez near El Paso and over the borders from Laredo and Brownsville, TX. Besides NAFTA there are huge trade organizations and treaties. NAFTA has been a big devastator of jobs for textiles, shoes, etc. in Monterrey Mexico all those jobs now have moved to China due to the WTO affiliation of those two nations.

Previously in the Southern States were factories for carpets, shoes, clothes, linen, suitcases, furniture, etc., but after NAFTA most of those jobs went to Mexico. Now to China and even today China says they are losing those jobs to other countries with lower wages as China's industrial revolution looms as they try to hold down their economy and currency. In hind sight the workers in GA, AL, TN, SC, NC, etc. are asking well look what great job that did, we help Mexico by giving up our jobs and they give those jobs to China and then the Mexicans come to this country and take more jobs? And to some extent they are correct. But that is not all that was affected. If you look at all the old mills in New England those factories closed too, workers would not take a pay cut or work the Fredrick Winslow Taylor. Instead demanding greater benefits with less production and productivity.

You may wish to read "Collision Course" by Micheline Maynard. Not a pretty site. Also "NAFTA" and another book; "Selling of Free Trade: NAFTA, Washington, and the Subversion of American Democracy" by John Macarthur. You can debate both sides, well I can. The idea of free trade is fine really if all things were equal. Well all things are not equal; we have in this country all sorts of laws. OSHA, EPA and over regulations in all industries many over lapping and then through in states like CA, MA and it is a wonder you could produce any thing. Including a toothpick, which by the way for such a simplistic item, you would not believe the regulations. Think about it, the darn items come from wood and trees. You want to back track to the timber industry in Aberdeen, Washington? Forget the fact that all the trees were cut down outside Bangladesh and the great floods a mud came later. We have environmental laws here so the tooth pick manufacturer will have to get the wood from somewhere, where it is okay to cut down the forest. Thus timber jobs are a loser, paper manufacturing is a loser, building materials like trusses etc, must come from somewhere else. Otherwise you find you self in the middle of a lawsuit-Sierra Club. Well then the builders need to make sure they have supply so when Enron decided to sell timber futures they found the best deal in Canada, who was checkerboard clear cutting. But with housing growth in the US propping up the economy along with financial institutions loaning on new housing starts the game continued. However the timber industry in Canada was abusing its environment and upsetting the people there. Since they were dumping, selling below the cost to reproduce the forest of which they had no intention like that of the US, which is required by our laws to replant the forests, which you can see in ID, WA, OR, CA and it is extremely prevalent in the Olympia Peninsula.

When over regulation makes it impossible to compete and manufacturers cannot make up the difference and the labor unions will not help to streamline, work more efficient and demand the same high pay while taking the productivity needed to sustain the company for granted the company has no choice but to close the facility and manufacture somewhere else or close the company all together for instance the PillowTex Company a long time hold out which crumbled under pressure recently from the Kmart downsizing. PillowTex was one of the last textile manufacturing companies in the United States, it is the final end of an era.

So how is NAFTA doing really? Well some is good, some is bad and some is ugly. The lessons learned by NAFTA could help us navigate some tricky trends we are now seeing with the US and China and India. Are we learning from our follies? Can we do better next time? Can we help bring China and India up without destroying our monetary flows in our own country? We cannot afford to sacrifice our strong middle class with bad trade policies, nor can we neglect our obligation to help the rest of the world move up for the betterment of all mankind. Please think about it.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.worldthinktank.net/wttbbs

Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents
Internet browsers are useful, but they can be dangerous. Clicking on malicious links can direct you to dangerous websites that steal information or infect your device.
Apple's latest iOS update introduces advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, which may be capturing and analyzing sensitive information.
Breach site confirmed 56,904,909 Hot Topic users' data leaked online. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the company's silence makes matters even worse.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how an innovative Easy-Way kit turns standard strollers electric, simplifying navigation for parents.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about T-Mobile being hacked in broad cyberattack on global phone and internet companies.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how to add, customize and manage widgets for quick access to apps and info from your iPhone home screen.
Wrong Google searches can not only compromise your device and personal data. They can also bring law enforcement to your doorstep. Hackers are targeting Google searches.
China's Shanghai Kepler Robotics has developed a new humanoid robot that can carry up to 35 pounds per hand for commercial applications across various industries
Checking your hearing has gotten easier with the new hearing test feature in AirPods Pro 2. You can take reliable hearing tests using your iPhone or iPad.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how a VPN — virtual private network — works and how running it can slow down the operation of your device.
The WalkON Suit F1, an exoskeleton developed to help people with disabilities, can actually walk over to a person in a wheelchair, solving a major problem.
ClickFix, a new scam targeting computer users, is on the rise in the U.S. The scam prompts its targets to click on a link to fix a problem.
Skydweller is the world's largest unmanned solar-powered aircraft that can stay airborne for weeks, and even months, without refueling.
The U.S. government said it is investigating after People's Republic of China hackers targeted commercial telecommunications service providers in the U.S.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated ways to lure unsuspecting victims, and some are impersonating an email help desk or support team.
You can unsend or edit your iMessages with the latest iOS updates. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how you can save yourself some potential embarrassment.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says there’s been a rise in cybercriminal services using hacked police and government emails to send subpoenas and data requests to U.S. companies.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Axiom Space and luxury designer Prada are collaborating on NASA's Artemis III spacesuit design.
Voice assistants may cause confusion across devices. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers some solutions to fix it.
Shameless scammers trick veterans into giving personal info or cash. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explores five common scams.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you honor our heroes with these powerful podcasts, audiobooks and documentaries this Veterans Day.

The Gun Control Debate

The gun control debate in America is a battle between... Read More

Treasury Department Falls Short on Blocked Persons List

I would like to discuss the blocked persons list of... Read More

Market Impeders and Market Inefficiencies

Even the most devout proponents of free marketry and hidden... Read More

A Deal Made With Ireland

SYNOD OF DRUM CEATT (494 - 5):It is interesting to... Read More

Retirement Age Will Have To Be Raised Since People Are Living Longer

With people living longer we have some problems as those... Read More

Trade Wars, China and Over Regulation At Home

We are seeing some trade wars brewing as American trade... Read More

Oil Pipelines and Rates of Flow

How much oil can travel through a pipeline? It depends... Read More

Electronic Commerce Taxation: Emerging Legal Issues - Part I

The CBR taxes the Pakistani source income of nonresident individuals... Read More

Ronald Reagan is Right

Why is it that every single thing government does; it... Read More

Questioning Both Sides of the GM Crop Debate

One question not addressed in GM Crops and Monsanto Terminator... Read More

Cindy Sheehan ? President Bush and the Accountability Moment

Death may not be dignified in any light but the... Read More

Military Intelligence, FBI, CIA Intelligence Problems

Well many have complained that the FBI and CIA dropped... Read More

Super Voting Ink and Vaccines

In the future when we decide to help nations vote... Read More

Political Correctness got you down?

I hear it all the time; you can't say that.... Read More

We Are Turning a Corner in Foreign Relations, Thanks GW Bush!

Kudos goes out to the George Walker Bush's Administration and... Read More

Counter Intelligence: Accurate Words to Describe Our Dealings with Islamic Terrorists!

Introduction:Although politicians and so-called "Intelligence Experts" are the ones appearing... Read More

Russian State Administration Gives New Facelift to Oil and Energy Resources

With the world's largest oil and natural gas reserves, second... Read More

3D Tactical Image Projection Enhanced Decoy System

I propose a special Projection Device code-named: "TIPED". This system... Read More

Responding to Article: Logic Class 101 Applied to the Minuteman Project

In response to Douglas Bower's article; Logic Class 101 Applied... Read More

How Futuristic Is Anarchy As A Way To Organize The State (I)

When organising a country or a group of people in... Read More

Globalism and a Conspiracy

The globalist's are the new breed, the new generation if... Read More

Congress Considers National Data Privacy Law

Legislation was introduced into Congress this week that would establish... Read More

Plastics In Our Nations Dumps and Landfills

Long Term Environmental Effect of Plastics, Composites and Other Materials... Read More

Canning International Terrorists? Literally

Well here is a great new product, we first saw... Read More

Another Whistleblower -- is Anyone Listening?

The plight of whistleblowers ? those employees who sound the... Read More

Antigo wedding limo ..