Thinking about the TPP. FDR regarding tariffs:

[pampango]

27. We are both skeptical about their inclusion in the TPP.

I refuse to believe that it is impossible to have strong, enforceable labor and environmental standards in international agreements even though the enforceable qualifier means there would have to be an independent enforcement body that will anger the 'national sovereignty' folks. The administration says they are in this agreement. I doubt that but I have not seen the final draft.

The best path is to completely abandon any and all trade deals with nations that do not have a similar or greater living standards.

So trade deals with Europe, Canada and Australia would be OK but deals with Central/South America and Africa would not be acceptable?

Here are the countries we have trade deals with now and their per capita GDP:

Per Capita GDP:
US - $53,000
Canada - $43,000
Oman - $43,000
Bahrain - $49,000
Australia - $45,000
Israel - $33,000
South Korea - $34,000
Singapore - $78,000
All the Latin American countries are below $20,000.

(BTW, the EU is $35,000 and Japan is $36,000.)

Where would you draw the line on "nations that do not have a similar or greater living standards"? Should we abrogate all of trade deals with every country below $50,000 per capita GDP? That would eliminate every country except Singapore? Perhaps at $40,000 to eliminate South Korea and Israel and any potential for deals with the EU and Japan? Or should we put the limit at $30,000 and just eliminate Latin American countries?