Since Free Traders believe that America should lower its standard of living to help the third world

[Spider Jerusalem]

131. You seem to make a lot of stupid assumptions.

America generally uses 30% of global resources while accounting for 5% of population; the poor in America are frankly probably better off than in India, in China, in Africa, in Brazil. The problem of poverty and homelessness in America is a problem of political failure and of allocation of existing resources; it's entirely possible to see to it that no-one in the US goes hungry or without a roof over his head. You can't really say the same thing for most of the world.

You also seem to make some unfounded assumptions regarding my consumption habits; the only things I buy that are manufactured in China are the ones where I really have no choice or alternative. I make a point of buying fair-trade coffee and tea and locally-farmed meat and produce. And most of the consumer goods I do buy are manufactured in Europe and not China--I'm in the UK and thanks to, yes, EU free trade agreements, European-made consumer goods of excellent quality are available at competitive prices.