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pampango

(24,692 posts)

31. Wages declined from the early 1970's to the mid-1990's then increased. A NAFTA tragedy?

Wed Dec 10, 2014, 09:35 AM

Dec 2014

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States#mediaviewer/File:U.S._Hourly_Wages_-_Real_or_Adjusted_for_Inflation_1964-2014.png

It is fine with me to use another, more realistic measure of living standards. I used per capita GDP to respond to the post:

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

Any other accurate measure of living standards is fine with me. My point was to ask what happens if we were to restrict trade agreements to countries that have "similar or greater living standards.

The last thing we need is yet another trade deficit.

As many have pointed out the TPP has little to do with tariffs. I have not seen many conclude that it will cause larger trade deficits.

Our imports are a small part of our economy - 13% - as is total trade - 22%. Imports are a large part of Germany's economy - 34% - while trade is 76%. To blame economic problems on imports or trade ignores what really makes for good wages, strong unions and a healthy middle class.

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31 replies

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Thinking about the TPP. FDR regarding tariffs: [View all] JDPriestly Dec 2014 OP

Did it work? Did it work? Anyone?... Recursion Dec 2014 #1

Thanks for that astute assessment, Rush. RiverLover Dec 2014 #4

Here's an actual liberal view(which is of course correct). Maybe you can post something from Fox RiverLover Dec 2014 #7

+1 an entire shit load. Enthusiast Dec 2014 #18

Another fail, Recursion. Scuba Dec 2014 #9

+1 You nailed it. Enthusiast Dec 2014 #19

Let's see... in FDR's first term... MannyGoldstein Dec 2014 #10

FDR was right on. Tariffs should protect the living standards of the American worker. Enthusiast Dec 2014 #2

Thank you. JDPriestly Dec 2014 #12

"In FDR's view high tariffs shifted the burden of financing the government from the rich to the poor pampango Dec 2014 #16

Very little of the TPP has anything to do with what tariffs are still existing. djean111 Dec 2014 #3

Good info. Thanks~nt RiverLover Dec 2014 #5

I certainly hope you did not think that with my post I was suggesting that the TPP is just about JDPriestly Dec 2014 #13

K & R Faryn Balyncd Dec 2014 #6

K&R Scuba Dec 2014 #8

as djean notes up above, TPP is much worse than just tariffs Doctor_J Dec 2014 #11

Dr. Dean talked about the need for tariffs when he was running for president Mosby Dec 2014 #14

Of course, he campaigned against and negotiated away most of the high tariffs he inherited pampango Dec 2014 #15

Unfortunately, as our high trade deficit and declining wages prove, even multilateral trade JDPriestly Dec 2014 #17

But the wealth is safely in the hands of the wealthy elite and multinational corporations where Enthusiast Dec 2014 #20

Indeed I believe FDR knew that the elite have prospered under high tariffs and low. The key pampango Dec 2014 #22

You are entitled to your opinion. I'll side with FDR. pampango Dec 2014 #21

The TPP creates international Corporate Supremacy®. Enthusiast Dec 2014 #23

I've posted many times that the TPP is only good if it has strong labor and environmental standards pampango Dec 2014 #24

Yeah, we heard about those mythical strong labor and environmental standards Enthusiast Dec 2014 #25

We are both skeptical about their inclusion in the TPP. pampango Dec 2014 #27

We do not want another trade deal. Period. Enthusiast Dec 2014 #28

That was pretty quick going from "completely abandon any and all trade deals with nations that do pampango Dec 2014 #29

Problem is the GDP does not reflect median income. JDPriestly Dec 2014 #30

Wages declined from the early 1970's to the mid-1990's then increased. A NAFTA tragedy? pampango Dec 2014 #31

Fantastic quote! Thanks! MannyGoldstein Dec 2014 #26