General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNAFTA Still Damaging the American Economy and Workforce
"The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was implemented in 1994, two decades ago, under the guise of free trade an agreement whose purpose was to remove trade barriers between Mexico, Canada and the United States. The result was nothing short of a disaster for the United States.
Before NAFTA was signed the United States actually traded at a surplus with Mexico. Mexico continues to be a major trading partner for the United States (our third largest), but that surplus has turned into a consistent deficit. In 2012 our imports from Mexico exceeded our exports by $61 billion. That is $61 billion that shipped across borders instead of being kept in the U.S. where it can create more jobs.
A recent study found that from its implementation until 2013, NAFTA had cost the U.S. 1 million jobs. This is a staggering figure, and yet it tells only part of the story. American jobs have left because factories have left, which will make it even more difficult to restart the American economy. We are losing institutional knowledge that once made us the most productive country in the world, and we are doing so because of a failed policy our politicians refuse to put a stop to NAFTA.
As a candidate, President Obama campaigned under the guise of a trade reformer. He said he would renegotiate NAFTA, and even made ads denouncing his opponents support of the trade deal.But since entering office Obama has acted like every other president of late, in that he has embraced free trade as a solution to Americas economic problems. He has failed to act against NAFTA, and has embraced other NAFTA-like free trade deals that are destroying American jobs."
http://economyincrisis.org/content/nafta-still-damaging-the-american-economy-and-workforce
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)It's no surprise, though, given the source.
midnight
(26,624 posts)nationalize the fed
(2,169 posts)How's that for a source MohRokTah
Should you require more, you are invited to search "Obama NAFTA" on Youtube.
Have a great election!
Aerows
(39,961 posts)but Hillary supports it, so by default, it's the Democratic platform.
"Let us price your medication out of your fiscal abilities. You are suitably thankful, aren't you?"
midnight
(26,624 posts)99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)you will be faced with a flood of lawsuits to be decided in secret tribunals by
corporate attorneys, lobbyists and their ilk.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)I don't. Because folks would just buy goods from China, etc. Now, we could tell them to go screw themselves too, as well as every other country with which we have a deficit. We still wouldn't be better off economically or from a security standpoint. But we could all be like Trump, all Nationalistic and America Firstist. Archie Bunker would applaud.
appal_jack
(3,813 posts)The Economic Policy Institute has a lot of good NAFTA and Globalization related information. The OP article should have linked back to somewhere like this, rather than just citing "a recent study."
K&R,
-app