[All Hail Satan] The First Trump Effect: The TPP Is Dead

Please do. Economics isn't a zero sum game. I don't love the TPP, but it is simply the reality of being in a global world which I believe in better than the alternative.

 

I just hate it that liberals are always using the protectionism argument. It's just lazy. How about the government lower taxes and deregulate first?

 

Ok. What does that do about the vast labor and entitlement costs vs the developed world? You want to lower you standard of living while paying more for goods? Labor costs are bigger than regulations and taxes. That's not to say we shouldn't streamline regulations and have a more sensible tax plan, but it's not the biggest issue.

Speaking of lazy.... read a book or something... educate yourself child.

 

It's clear you offer nothing beside posting articles since you for whatever reason your mind went to penises in a talk about global economics.

 

It's a big-ass issue. There's also shipping and supply chain costs. Point is, it's way more complex than crying protectionism at any attempt to bring back jobs, which I've never heard you espouse for, btw.

 

Because it's not the biggest issue as I said. Broken record here... like I said... read a book or something. Or merely look at what they make in Vietnam vs Nigeria vs Mexico vs Germany vs USA.

 

Where are you on the global pay scale

 

And I am saying labor is just part of the costs. There's also tax, regulation, raw materials, shipping etc. Are you disavowing that?

 

Absolutely not but labor is a part of shipping and extracting/processing raw materials along with regulations and taxes.

I am saying labor is the largest chunk.

 

Hey you know me.

 

I prefer to talk about economic policy than penises.

 

Why you so preoccupied with logical phallacies?

 

Noam Chosky, Krugman, Bernie, Warren, and many many other really smart people were against it so this is a good thing. Let's not forget it was mostly written by corporate interests and lobbyists. The battle cry of many criticizers was that the TTP would create a working class war between countries which would lower wages while increasing profits.

 

TPP was likely dead regardless of who won. Clinton very publicly came out against it and whether she really believed that or not it would've been very hard for her to turn her back on that pledge.

The only hope it had was that Obama with pro-trade Republicans got it passed in a lame duck Congress.

 

Actually many liberals are against TPP. Sanders and Trump's positions on trade are very similar.

Also you keep on talking about deregulation yet you argue for skewing the market through putting restrictions on trade.

 

Thank you dmoneybang for posting that. It's a good read.

To respond to FB. Yes there are many pros and cons as is true with any large policy proposal. You're free to focus on one factor but you also have to consider many of the other factors. While yes there may be a large benefit to those higher up on the pay scale you also have to consider that the TPP would force many countries to improve their labor standards and also allow for labor organizing.:
From the article:
"All stated-owned enterprises must comply with global trade standards that protect their workers and the environment. The United States had to overcome objections from Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia. Those countries must now allow labor unions or face penalties."

If you are concerned about the plight of workers in other countries not trading wih them actually makes things worse. Conside that Singapore in the 1950's was a backwater and now is one of the most advanced countries in the World. None of that would've happened if Singapore didn't have access to global trade and investment. The truth is that wealthy developed countries aren't just going to improve the lives of those in the rest of world out of pure altruism. The only way to do that is through things like trade where the developed world sees a benefit out of it.

Further with things like TPP and other global trade regimes there is also a way to guide the development of those countries through provisions like guaranteeing workers' rights. Without such trade agreements there is no outside leverage on those countries to reform.

 

Excellent points. I look at that as kind of the silver lining should TPP pass. There are definite positives as well as negatives in the deal. It isn't all bad, or good as is usually the case.