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| democrat dan turrentine made a pretty fair statement about the last 3 decades of free trade "free trade helps 2/3rds of the people, but harms 1/3rd of the people" . one example of back 10/12 years ago when my kids were still in school and in sports, parents would travel to games, but some didn`t have the money for gas. and one example of parents in that category the dad worked at a food service job (low pay) and the mom worked at a low pay job at a nursing home, Lord knows they both worked hard and did the best they could. they were paying on a modest home so they were in a vicious cycle.
that was about the time the professional advice givers were saying "learn to code! and get a better job" some in that predicament were able pull themselves out of the hole, but it wasn`t room for everyone. our community did have a factory at that time that employed 500 and probably paid +$20/hr, with benefits but it moved to mexico and shut down . that was a life line for someone stuck in a dead end job, but weren`t "college material", some people are only suited for the physical labor jobs where they give the employer a pound of their flesh and in return he gives a stable job where you can take care of your family, send your kids to university so at least they have opportunity. as unappealing as i made that sound, there are fewer & fewer of even those jobs available anymore.
as dan turrentine said about 1/3rd being hurt is true and i would add that the upper one half those in the 2/3rds that benefited from free trade made out like bandits, salaries beyond their wildest dreams. those in that middle 1/3 are just one step ahead of the sheriff , like those 500 who had worked for the company that i told you about that moved to mexico, they had to scramble.
those in the bottom 1/3rd are in most cases subsidized by the government, kids get reduced lunch prices, eligible for earned income credit on their taxes, ect and i`m not begrudging them, they do need the help. but now look at the federal government deficit and national debt, all that money spent helping those who don`t make a living wage.
so my addition to dan turrentine`s assessment of "free trade helping 2/3rds", that`s debatable because all of us the top third, middle third and bottom third we all have that debt around our necks. | |
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what i`ve observed about free trade.
