Why I am on the fence about TPP.

[gollygee]

16. The paragraph I have a problem with:

And then there are labor unions, which many Democratic politicians have to answer to. Labor unions are going to oppose most any free trade deal, especially after NAFTA. Even in an ideal world, where free trade is net beneficial, it is not beneficial uniformly, for example, to workers in industries where comparative advantage lies elsewhere. And this is often the case in, for example manufacturing. Now, usually, what is good for labor unions is also good for the nation as a whole, but not always. Environmental regulations are an example: pipeline workers will mostly be in favor of Keystone because the benefit to them of good jobs is greater then the personal harm from the pollution. But since everyone suffers from the pollution, for society as a whole it is not net beneficial.

I think it would be very good for the US if unions became strong again. You say that something that is bad for unions isn't necessarily bad for the US, and you make a comparison to environmental regulations, but you don't really explain how this is good for the US despite being bad for unions. And I have no reason to believe that the environmental comparison is apt because it's obvious how Keystone is bad but it isn't obvious how labor unions are bad.

I am a daughter of former union members and I grew up in an industrial area that was hurt very badly by NAFTA. I am going to remain skeptical of TPP. I need more specifics than "it's kind of like Keystone" to even slightly ease my discomfort.