CNN's "NAFTA disaster" story

[SIU_Blue]

While I'll be damned.

CNN actually just ran a piece on how the layoffs at the "big three" automakers are pretty much a direct result of NAFTA, and then interviewed the head of one of the auto unions, who proceeded to talk about the corporate criminals who are making out on this.

could this country be waking up to the disaster that is corporate globalization?

[HereSince1628]

1. Yes. Although 12 years too late.

Expect the solution that comes to be demanded in the streets to be much more draconian than any provision for a gradual transition that eased American workers across 15-25 years into a global economy would ever have been.

[physioex]

2. Yea....I saw that as well.

Excellent piece, hate to say it but Ross Perot was right. And part of this problem is definetely on Bill Clinton....

[SIU_Blue]

4. Agreed.

Bill Clinton definitely moved the dems to the right on economic issues. I never understood why anyone thought "free trade" was such a great idea. Sure, share ideas, make travel easier, but just think it through.

Globalization = countries with labor standards and no jobs - and countries with no labor standards and plenty of jobs.

Oh, and a few more billionares.

:puke:

[physioex]

8. Eventhough.....

Bill was the punchboy for the RW he was more of a centrist....

[gratuitous]

3. Yeah, yeah, we were right all along. Again

But that means we're being smug, which is the One Unforgivable Sin. Don't you people watch South Park? Just get over it. Mistakes were made, of course. Forseeable, consequential, disastrous mistakes. But let's not dwell on that, or how we can repair those mistakes, because that's all water under the bridge. Just adjust to the new reality, take your lumps, and wait for the next outrage. At which time, the powers that be will accuse you of being isolationists, or unwilling to face reality, or traitors, or smug, and go right on making their catastrophic decision. Then live with the consequences of that. Otherwise, you just like smelling your own farts.

So there. Nyah.

[SIU_Blue]

5. beautiful.

I love the smell of intelligent sarcasm in the morning.

:P

[HereSince1628]

7. Um, since when do Salukis support that SOUTHSIDE team????

Hahaha. Good to see a Saluki!

I loved Saluki baseball, maybe because it was free.

But really, Carbondale is Cardinal country, it must not be too friendly for a Sox fan!

[SIU_Blue]

11. Actually, you'd be surprised.

Cardinal Fans and Sox fans have much in common! (hating the cubs)

:D

[HereSince1628]

17. My son is a DJ at WTAO, I suppose he jazzes the cubs at times

although there isn't much talk on his show. Actually IMHO there isn't much that could be called music.

[SIU_Blue]

20. Oh wow that 's cool- I listen to TAO occasionally

As you can probably imagine, there isn't much choice when it comes to radio.

If he takes after you politically, you should encourage him to join Students for Peace and Democracy

the website is: http://siuspd.atspace.com

[HereSince1628]

23. He's a "local" not a student.

[SIU_Blue]

24. oops sorry.

[mdmc]

6. but it has nothing to do with nafta

it has to do with detroit making shit like the H3. I am for fair trade, but this American failure is not due to nafta.

[SIU_Blue]

10. it has everything to do with nafta

I don't like H3s either,and crappy cars don't help, but it is all about "free trade"

It's not too complicated, if you remove all trade barriers and make it easy for corporations to move, they will go to the places where they can pay their employees least (In the case of NAFTA, this means Mexico).

This doesn't help americans (they lose good union jobs), and it doesn't even help the mexican workers (the jobs their aren't good or unionized)

And, as a point of information, I am also for free trade but ONLY with enforcable global labor standards.

[mdmc]

13. vw works in mexico

same with a bunch of other foreign auto makers. The USA will be strong again when they make the Mustang or Charger for under $17770.

[SIU_Blue]

15. Their sales may be strong...

but we'll keep losing manufacturing jobs to countries with no labor standards.

[mdmc]

16. unless consumers require a stop to this

and are willing to pay more for real american made cars... I'm down...

[SIU_Blue]

18. I'm a bit confused

Are you saying you're "down" with outsourcing, trade defecits, low-paying sweatshop-like jobs, lack of oversight, lack of regulation, skyrocketing unemployment, environmental destruction, and corporate criminals?

If so, I fear you're on the wrong website. (Not that I don't appreciate the debate)

[mdmc]

19. no, I'm down with the opposite

but the opposite requires more money / it will cost more (you and I agree it is worth this extra cost). The American consumer does not seem down with it. Bill Clinton is not down.

[SIU_Blue]

21. oh ok, my apologies

Sadly, you're completely right, most of the country is not down with it. sigh.

[mdmc]

22. how do we wake them up

:shrug:

I KNOW THAT THERE IS A WAY!

[SIU_Blue]

25. I wish I knew the answer.

I think we all just do our part. At the college I go to, I'm part of a group that is trying to stop the school from selling sweatshop made clothing (http://siuspd.atspace.com). Students obviously have a lot more time than most people to do activist stuff. I just think everyone should find a way to get involved, especially younger people, because it's most important to educate the future.

I just hope it doesn't take an economic collapse to wake everyone up.

[mdmc]

26. Another thing that you could do is research American made

companies that could contract with your school. I wonder if a grassroots "made in America" campaign might work at your campus. Work on your small corner of the world:kick:

[SIU_Blue]

27. yeah

we have to take baby steps, because we have an extraordinarily conservative chancellor. Don't worry, we're working on it.

:D

[TrogL]

9. Blame Canada

right?

Canada has a skilled, usable workforce because of good quality public schools and health care. Hence companies outsource their manufacturing to Canada because the job will actually get done, on time and on budget.

NAFTA merely institutionalized an existing practice (but also implemented a lot of nasty stuff).

Now they don't like it because it's working.

[SIU_Blue]

12. It's less about Canada than Mexico

Mainly Mexico's lack of labor standards.

[HereSince1628]

14. To which you can add environmental, education, and health

protections. All things that Canada and the US held important at the time of NAFTA, and all things which add to costs of manufacturing in both countries.

[Fitzgibbon]

28. Gimme a break!

This is about the Big 3 making crap that doesn't compete well with Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, etc.

Remember how great things were when gas was cheap and SUVs were going to take over the world? Wasn't that just a tad shortsighted? :nopity:

Don't you think all the employees of Big 3 plants in Canada are going to suffer as well?

[SIU_Blue]

29. yes I do...

and once again, this is not about hating on Canada.

The problem is that Mexico's "Labor Standards" are a joke. So when jobs move, they move to Mexico, and workers everywhere suffer.

The big 3 making crap that can't compete is the reason they are losing profits, jobs would move south no matter what the big 3 were doing financially.

[Zhade]

30. Yes, CNN, it is a "NAFTA Disasta".

Where the fuck have you been all these years? It's been obvious for quite some time.