Why America Needs to Focus on Policy Reform
OPS_admin | Dec 16, 2009 | Comments 0
As the North American Free Trade Agreement creeps closer to its 16th year in existence, a growing number of Americans are wondering where the results are. We’ve seen lots of results from NAFTA, but no one can unilaterally point to something that was beneficial to all three nations.
Mexico has gained some jobs in manufacturing, but lost huge parts of its agricultural industry to agribusinesses in the United States and Canada. The U.S. has gained better access to markets for its products, but it has also sent much of its production across the northern and southern borders. Canada is now more integrated in the American economy, but it faces the same difficulties from low wage Mexican labor as the United States.
The Center for International Policy, in an article published on December 3, detailed the need for wide-ranging reform of NAFTA. The president has largely backed off his campaign rhetoric regarding “renegotiating” the terms of NAFTA. In fact, it will likely be a non-issue throughout the remainder of his presidency. Certain members of Congress recently introduced the TRADE Act of 2009, but it is not law and it may never become so.
The TRADE Act of 2009 is perhaps this nation’s best bet to enact real reform, because it highlights the areas in most dire need of attention.
Full Story Why America Needs to Focus on Policy Reform | Economy In Crisis.
Filed Under: Foreign Policy
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If we don't change our ways soon...
A new report by the Royal Society, chaired by Nobel prize-winning biologist Sir John Sulston warns that world population must be stabilized and consumption in wealthy nations must be reduced or the entire planet is in big trouble. As the report reads: "The number of people living on the planet has never been higher, their levels of consumption are unprecedented and vast changes are taking place in the environment. We can choose to rebalance the use of resources to a more egalitarian pattern of consumption... or we can choose to do nothing and to drift into a downward spiral of economic and environmental ills leading to a more unequal and inhospitable future."This is the same warning that President Jimmy Carter gave Americans back in the 1970's - but it was ignored when Ronald Reagan came to power with a "more positive" message basically telling Americans we can do whatever we want. And then after 9/11 - Bush told us all we should go shopping and consume ever more.And now with corporations calling the shots in Washington - long-term sustainability of the planet takes a back seat to short-term profits. If we don't change our ways soon - and embrace clean, alternative energy and educate women around the plant - then we all could be headed for a rough century.-Thom(Is there any chance we will learn in time? Tell us here.) -
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The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. 
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