Joblessness

[pampango]

3. I think all of our problems are caused by poor foreigners ("these people").

We need yuuuuge walls and tariffs. Whom should I turn to? Donald would be the obvious answer but his level of caring for the crime of child labor is, let's say, 'underwhelming'.

We could act through international negotiation to punish countries that use child labor. I know that is not as bold and satisfying as acting unilaterally (walls, tariffs). Unilateral action just shifts their markets elsewhere. I suspect that progressive countries, which as wealthy countries are the markets for these goods, would be willing to join in agreements that would reduce or eliminate child labor. I think that is something that Bernie would stand for.

And how in the hell do workers, unions and the middle class have it so good in progressive countries when there are so many damn poor foreigners in the world?

FDR's "Four Freedoms" speech emphasized that the freedoms were for "everywhere in the world".

Harry Hopkins (FDR adviser and an architect of the New Deal) interrupted FDR while he was dictating the speech and told FDR that he should not say "everywhere in the world because Americans are not going to give a damn about people in Java".

FDR replied, "Well Harry. They are going to have to give a damn about people in Java from now on."

We do have to 'give a damn' about people in "Java" and in Bangladesh. And FDR would shake his head that we have undermined unions, slashed taxes for the rich and deregulated corporations. Things that protect our workers and middle class. Things that progressive countries in the modern world have preserved and strengthened while not fearing the poor foreigners in the world.

Bernie is the closest one we have to FDR now.