General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: NAFTA passed on Nov. 20, 1993, on the promise of jobs. Oddly enough . . . [View all]pampango
(24,692 posts)trend when Bush came into office.
You seem to be implying a belief that the increase in manufacturing employment under Clinton would have continued under Bush if it were not for Clinton's NAFTA. That shows a lot more faith in Bush's 'trickle-down' economics than I have.
To me it looks like the decline in manufacturing employment under the regressive economic policies Reagan and Bush I looks exactly like the decline under the same economic policies of Bush II. Could it be that regressive economic policies (cutting taxes on the rich, deregulation, anti-union policies) are actually bad for workers in the manufacturing sector which sells most of its products to the middle class?
If the same trend exists before and after an event, that is not proof that the event caused the trend. Indeed many might figure that something else was the cause of the trend. Blaming NAFTA for our problems rather than Reagan and the Bushes is popular but seems to miss the point when you look at longer term trends.
Have a good one.