A Re-Look at NAFTA – What Else Should We Consider?

Far too many people blame NAFTA on our nation’s economic problems and unemployment challenges, but I assure you, I personally am not one of them. Nor do I blame other nations for our economic ills. First, and foremost I believe we ought to look inward and into our own mirrors, and then consider what else we can do to make it more favorable for our jobs to stay here. Not long ago, I mentioned my ire to an out of state acquaintance, and she told me;

“I repeat, I do not see other nations as the root of all of our ills. I merely bring up the NAFTA point for the sake of discussion and as viewed perhaps through the eyes of persons it may affect.”

Sure, I’ve watched NAFTA over the years and I’ve watched industries like textiles, automobiles, glass, just to name a few. As those jobs went to Mexico, that was bad enough but now those jobs have moved to China, and they are helping our neighbors to the south, worse China is showing inflation, and now those jobs will move to places like Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and other nations which are only paying one dollar a day, or a dollar 50 a day, rather than the two dollars a day of the growing Chinese middle class.

It seems that the industries are chasing low-cost labor from emerging nation to emerging nation to the lowest common denominator. In some regards this brings people up to the world, but it can also cause havoc with regards to inflation rates, and a tough transition from emerging nation to industrial nation. We went through our own problems, with our own Industrial Revolution, so we know.

Thankfully world leaders are getting better at making the transition smoother, as we bring everyone up in the world. That doesn’t mean it’s not without problems. Still, if things can be produced at lower cost in other nations, and they can do it more efficiently, then theoretically from a global trade perspective that does make the most sense.

And if this is happening to rapidly for some people, I would look towards the unions as much of the cause, along with piss-poor policy, over-regulation and a runaway lift to just environment. It seems we are not a country that is run for the people and by the people anymore, rather it is for the lawyers and by the lawyers.

If we are expecting jobs in America, and if 70% of those jobs come from small business, we are doing ourselves any favors by increasing regulations or allowing litigation to run wild. Nor are we helping the job base with the government puts barriers to entry on behalf of unions which are trying to block competition. If we’re going to run a free-market economy, we need to get with the program, and stop putting all this debris in between the right to free contract between companies, and individuals, the consumer should mention.

I’m a free-market person. I believe in capitalism, I despise communism and socialism, it’s wrong for freedom, liberty, democracy, and thus, it’s wrong for America. Now then, I ask if you will please think on this and see what you come up with on the topic.