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Nafta Wal Mart The Huamn condition
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WALMART
I try to be a law abiding citizen, but sometimes I just feel like sticking it to the man. When I think about the whole corporate culture of Wal-Mart, it makes me want to shoplift a computer and return it for a refund. Wal Mart buys most of its products from our leading world competitors, countries and companies with labor practices we would never tolerate on our own shores, companies with policies that have not been tolerated in the U.S. in over a hundred years. When wal mart allows itself to purchase a $2 shirt made by child labor, who is paid far less than what anyone would call a substandard wage , how can US companies compete. I know Clinton passed Nafta and other trade agreements that made trade with these companies easier, that was a good thing.
The only way to increase the quality of lfe for these people, is to trade with more modern nations. The key is to press for reform in this part of the world. Reforms that will raise thier standrds, closer to our standard of living. IF PEOPLE IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES HAD A STANDARD OF LIVING LIKE OURS ,IMAGINE THE NEW MARKET FOR OUR GOODS AND SERVICES. Sure cost in the short term would rise for American consumers, but with returning revenue and foriegn purchasing of our products, the increase in personal wealth should quickly out pace cost. American jobs would also stay in America.
One good example for you, Grain. In the United States we produce an abundance of grain, wheat, rice, and corn. We produce so much of these commodities that we tax payers , through federal programs, pay farmers not to produce them. We still end up with so much left over the federal government, with taxpayer money, buys a portion of the crop. Why, to keep prices up, so we pay three ways. We pay first not to have it produced, we pay to buy the over production, and then we as consumers buy the product at artifical prices. The solution is to open up markets in other countries. The problem is they cannot afford it. The U.S. government actually either discounts the supply and sells it to them , or gives it away in foriegn aid. If the people in these areas made a descent wage, if they had a descent standars of living, they could afford to just purchase the grain at a fair market value. The result would be, we would pay less in taxes, we would pay less for grain, they would eat ,and I would sleep better without seeing starving children on T.V.
So when you see that cheap shirt at wal mart, think about what it really cost you and millons of other people.
The logical answer to the prblem is for our Congress to pass a law that states That no product can be sold in the United States, that was produced by a company that would not meet U.S. labor laws.
great post Ray! I try to always check the country of manufacture on the goods I buy. the only way to make a change is for the consumer to become educated and to always try to buy American made products, preferrably locally made. that would also help the environment, twice! and if you have a real choice between the monster corp and a small manufacturer, go with the little guy! jmho
The logical answer to the prblem is for our Congress to pass a law that states That no product can be sold in the United States, that was produced by a company that would not meet U.S. labor laws.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
or environmental laws, or manipulates the price of its currency, or subsidizes exports (which Europe does for it's farmers to a greater degree causing many of the problems of our ag laws as noted above)
stop Fast Track and have the trade debate
IF PEOPLE IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES HAD A STANDARD OF LIVING LIKE OURS ,IMAGINE THE NEW MARKET FOR OUR GOODS AND SERVICES.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and the carbon emissions
caught in a death spiral, we are
You're late for your chores there, Phil.
But the trick is to raise living standards with clean technology.
Just spoke to Thankful, still in the Chicago burbs. She wanted me to send her regards to Phil and her hope that his dad will recover from his illness. Thankful insists it was ME Phil's dad was flirting with, although I am sure it was her. What a great day we had in Iowa.
4-5
Can't happen. As Jim Kunstler repeatedly says, no conceivable combination of "Green Technologies" can get us anywhere close to present-day energy consumption, quite apart from the fact that petroleum products are necessary to the development of these technologies. He says further:
" As for new technology saving the day -- apparently even the science jocks in the US have not figured out that technology and energy are not the same thing. Someone should inform them. "
Since we are going to have to retrench and conserve energy to preserve an orderly society, the notion that 3rd world countries can somehow match our current standard of living is fanciful in the extreme.
My thoughts this morning on trade--
Chris Dodd's position on trade with foreign countries is rather sketchy:
Enforce Trade Laws at Home and Abroad. Chris Dodd will insist that every trade agreement America enters into is fair, by ensuring that workers in those countries are guaranteed fair wages, fair working conditions, and strong environmental protections. Above all, Dodd will insist U.S. trading partners open their markets to American products.
But, the problem I see is that much of the focus on developing trade with other countries has been directed at facilitating the transfer of U.S. enterprise into foreign climes for the purpose of accessing the natural resources, including the working population, to lower production costs. Whether these adventures actually increase profits for the corporate owners is dubious because the financing and transaction and transportation costs are so much larger (many more layers of middle men are taking a "cut").
What I would want to see is that corporations that want to do business as U.S. corporations actually be registered as corporations in the U.S. (not in some off-shore mail-drop) and that, in return for being recognized as a U.S. corporation, they should be expected to comply with ALL the labor, safety, tax and environmental standards and regulations they are subject to at home, regardless of their foreign locale of operation.
In other words, I'd expect Bechtel to pay exactly the same wages in New Delhi as it does in Spring City, Tennessee.
You know, "equal pay for equal work."
The only way to increase the quality of lfe for these people, is to trade with more modern nations. The key is to press for reform in this part of the world. Reforms that will raise thier standrds, closer to our standard of living. IF PEOPLE IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES HAD A STANDARD OF LIVING LIKE OURS ,IMAGINE THE NEW MARKET FOR OUR GOODS AND SERVICES.
-----------
That's an interesting term indeed STANDARDS OF LIVING, what is that anyway? Do we have a commonly accepted definition what that means?
How much one buys for 1 hour of work?
How much one spends for 1 hour of free time?
How much energy has been spent per $1.00 of bought goods and services?
If that's the last one...., then America for sure is #1..., lol.
As Jim Kunstler repeatedly says, no conceivable combination of "Green Technologies" can get us anywhere close to present-day energy consumption
I've seen plenty of others say otherwise.
" As for new technology saving the day -- apparently even the science jocks in the US have not figured out that technology and energy are not the same thing. Someone should inform them. "
That's just one curmudgeon's opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C9FioGsIYU
BTW, the diary about Dodd opposing the Mukasey nomination on KOS.
yahoo - kick the bum out on his ass!
Contributions from associates and friends of now-indicted garbage executive James Galante to the 2004 presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman have sparked the interest of federal investigators.
Lieberman's bid for the White House took in at least $14,000 from Galante, his associates and their relatives in the fall of 2003, according to a Courant review of campaign records.
The contributions to Lieberman, a longtime Democrat who became an independent in 2006, are similar to allegedly bundled contributions to three Republican officeholders that earlier this month led to state charges against Galante, who is also facing a 2006 federal racketeering indictment.
What's more, people familiar with the campaign matters say, the names of Lieberman, the three Republicans and about a dozen other Connecticut and New York politicians have turned up on what the FBI loosely refers to as a "ledger" that agents seized from Galante's office while investigating mob influence in the trash industry.
http://www.courant.com/news/custom/topnews/hc-lieberman1028.artoct28,0,5750220.story
Great post, Ray ... but you might wanta oughta fix that typo in the title, if you can. The *Huamn* condition is a bit puzzling.
***************
Was unintentionally offline for a bit ... will be changing my ISP as a result of the recent move and we were doing a *dry run* ... something that my husband LOVES to do. Unfortunately, we inadvertently disconnected ourselves altogether.
After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, we managed to reconnected. I confess that we are internet addicts.
er ... *get reconnected* ... argh!
**************
Wonder whether we'll get a firsthand report from sea.
==============
Exit Polls: Argentine First Lady Wins
Exit Polls: Argentina's First Lady Wins Presidency; Would Be First Female President
Several major exit polls suggested that first lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner won the presidency Sunday by a large enough margin to avoid a runoff. She would be the first woman ever elected to Argentina's presidency.
Official results were due later Sunday in the race between the heavily favored Fernandez and 13 rivals. Fernandez's husband, President Nestor Kirchner, is credited with Argentina's rebound from a 2001 economic collapse, and much of her support is due to his popularity.
[...]
http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/...
Cindy's reflections on yesterday's peace marches.
==============
Published on Sunday, October 28, 2007 by CommonDreams.org
The Morning After
by Cindy Sheehan
As I sit sipping my morning cup of coffee and reflect on the anti-war protests sponsored by the Oct27 coalition (where I saw some good collaboration between UFPJ and ANSWER — at least in San Francisco — yea!), I have a few thoughts.
Yesterday, tens of thousands of activists from around Northern California, Northern Nevada and some from Southern Oregon attended the rally in my new hometown, San Francisco. Despite weather in the Eastern part of the country, I hear that the rallies all over the rest of the country were extremely well attended and the energy was high.
The throngs of humanity in San Francisco stretched out between the Civic Center to Dolores Park in a line that was over two miles long and it took over an hour for the last marcher to reach the endpoint. However, what does this all mean?
We have marched. We have done sit-ins in Congress Reps offices all over the country. We have written letters, emails and sent faxes. Some of us have camped in ditches in Central Texas for weeks at a time. CODEPINK is doing a marvelous job of keeping the pressure on in DC. We have had countless numbers of rallies, teach-ins and candlelight vigils, but the occupation is continuing and people are still dying and are forced from their homes by the ongoing and unremitting violence.
In November of 2006, the peace movement scored a major coup but we later discovered that the Democrats had only used our vibrant, angry and deeply committed movement to regain both Houses of Congress. Some of us erroneously thought that we could relax a little and allow the 110th Congress to take some of the slack from us hard-working activists to end the war and hold BushCo accountable. After all, that’s what we pay them for, isn’t it? I, and my organization, was roundly criticized by many people for going to Congress in January to demand that the Dems do the job we elected them to do. “Give them a chance.” “Shut the f**k up.” These and harsher epithets were hurled at us. I understand, because we wanted to relax, too. In November, we were as shocked as everyone else was, though, when Nancy and Harry (Bush Enablers Number One and Two) took impeachment “off the table.” We knew there would be no rest for the weary with this Congress, and, unfortunately, I think we have been vindicated…very regrettably for democracy around the world.
Where do we go from here?
[...]
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007...
No. 4 - Phil
If you will read John Perkins' book - Confessions of an Economic Hit Man - you will see that 3rd world countries do not (and will never have) a chance to become a lst world country --
our corporatocracy and the EHMs will make sure of that!
As Tom Paine said - these are the times that try men's souls --just as true today as when he wrote those words in 1776. Maybe even truer today.i
It's really time for PillowLand so this is the last.
Thanks again, putzCo. From $20/b at the end of the Clinton Administration to $100/b before the end of 2007.
And the end of the spike is not in sight.
=====================
Here comes $100 oil, and $3 gas
With crude setting new highs every day, experts say there's no way motorists won't see a spike at the pump.
By Steve Hargreaves, CNNMoney.com staff writer
October 26 2007: 5:16 PM EDT
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- With oil prices setting records over $90 a barrel - and $100 looking ever more likely - experts say there's a good chance drivers will see $3 gasoline before the end of the year.
"Three dollar gasoline in this market is unavoidable," said Stephen Schork, publisher of the industry newsletter the Schork Report. "At this rate, we're going to see $4 a gallon."
Crude oil prices have soared nearly 30 percent over the last month, mainly over fears that supply won't meet demand, a falling U.S. dollar, and what some say is a high degree of speculative investment money.
But so far drivers have been lucky. The national average price for gasoline has risen barely one cent, going from $2.81 last month to $2.82 this month, according to the motorist organization AAA, although in many areas of the country gasoline is already over $3.
Analysts have said the relatively stable gasoline price is due to slack demand following the high-demand summer driving season.
[...]
http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/26/news/eco...
12.
Jo*in*Vermont
ROFL...THANK YOU FOR THAT JO!...as paine says..."Take the blade, Joe!"
Phil Specht
Sun, 10/28/07
5:18 pm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My point being the continued decline of the image of people since the 1980s................just an observation.
Driving home tonight, Hubby and I listened to NPR. Did you catch the broadcast on NPR's Word For Word of Ted Sorenson's recent speech at the Kennedy Library?? It is truly vital to listen to! Sorenson was an advisor to President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and gives a FIRST HAND account of those crucial 13 days, with commentary on lessons learned then that affect today. There is a link below to the podcast. Hubby and I were seven years old when this happened. Imagine what it must have been like for our parents.
Moreover, Sorenson has just about convinced me to vote for Obama if Gore doesn't enter the race.
And that's quite a feat, I assure you! Check it out...
Forty-five years ago, Theodore Sorenson became a witness to history. As an aide to President John F. Kennedy, Sorenson was part of the group that decided how to respond to the Cuban Missile Crisis. In an Oct. 17 speech at the Kennedy Library in Boston, Sorenson explains how America narrowly averted a possible nuclear war with the U.S.S.R.
Published Sunday, 10/28/07 @ 7:51 pm. Linked to Democracy for the Hudson-Mohawk Region. Recommendation recorded!Andrew White, our wonderful longtime past President, is running for Supervisor of Stephentown, a small rural and very Republican town in the 20th CD. He heeded the call of Howard Dean to run for local office and became a member of the Town Council of Stephentown-now he is making the turning of Stephentown blue complete by running for Supervisor!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
go to browse all and recommend for Andrew and get this on the front page
Woohoo, Monica's diary made it to the top of the recommend list on dailykos on Doddl
http://dailykos.com/story/2007/10/28/161...
AND, Dodd's statement on this issue has hit thew news sites.
Dodd: I won't let AG nominee 'trample law'
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/28/s...
saying he plans to vote against Mukasey.
Well, so typical - the L.A. anti-war march/rally attracted 7,000 people and got a paragraph on page 27 in the L.A. Times. Watching a "die-in" preceded by a siren is really something to behold. Meanwhile, we cleaned up on collecting Gore signatures for the CA ballot. Even the weather cooperated!
Where do we go from here?
[...]
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007...
At least we're no longer under any illusions about having enough friends in DC just because Dems control the commitees and floors.
The Democratic Party has to be fixed before Washington DC can ever be.
Or else liberals need to abandon it and vote elsewhere.
23 Yes Suzanne, the media has been pretty much erasing marches these past 7 years, haven't they. If they don't report it, it didn't happen. HA!
Excellent job on the signatures.
bbl
10
There are plenty of scam artists and snake-oil salespersons on the Energy front, but basically, there's no free lunch. Having spent most of my 32-year career with USGS doing research on alternate energy sources, I have to agree with Jim Kunstler and other "curmudgeons", that there's just not enough "green energy" available to maintain a fraction of our current life style, let alone extend it to 3rd world countries.
There's no way of repealing the laws of thermodynamics, alas...........
some thoughts from Cindy on saturday's marches ..... and what should
come next.
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1590/t...
ooops, i see sitka has provided a link to same in#24 above.
please recommend this post
http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/22725...
back out of executive session of the SCC and the Iowa Democratic Party Chair will be the official spokesman, and I have already said what I think of calendar jumpers so will issue no further remarks on the subject of when the official apportionment of Iowa's National Delegates will happen
when-ever the National Rules Committee feel it appropriate they will act
U.S., Afghan forces kill 80 insurgents
Reuters - Sun Oct 28, 2:42 PM ET
KABUL (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition and Afghan troops killed about 80 Taliban fighters in a six-hour battle following an ambush in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said on Sunday.
----------
Where do all of these Taleban come from? It seems like every week we're killing a 100 at a shot. Yet, the guerrillas seem to multiply.
I would say we've probably lost in Afghanistan due to our ridiculous involvement in Iraq. Its quite obvious by the reliance on air power in Afghanistan that we don't have enough troops on the ground there. No, they're bogged down in Iraq policing a Civil War. A Civil War where, it seems, we're arming the Sunnis (ones who might have killed US forces) who are going to weaken the central government we support.
Yet, we criticize Germany because they refuse a greater role for the Wehrmacht in the south of Afghanistan. Maybe, its a good thing that they continue doing what they're doing in the north of Afghanistan rather than overstretch their forces with attempting to impose a military solution in the south.
Hey I watched ice skating, then what I could of 60 minutes-missed Sarkozy walking out on Leslie, but saw about the aerial attacks and Karzai wishing we would cut back on air attacks and that beautiful little 7 year old boy whose entire family was wiped out by an air attack. There is something spiritually beckoning about Afghanistan. I wonder if my ancient ancestors wandered through there en route from Africa to the British Isles. Then I watched Ferguson on Q&A with B. Lamb. He made the movie No End In Sight which is out on DVD shortly. It looks like what we know -- some arrogant incompetents led us to this point in Iraq. Then I watched Mrs. Pritchard which was entertaining but that was about all. And I noted a diary on KOS saying Chalmers Johnson had endorsed Obama but it didn't matter because we are fubar'd anyway. And I found this jewel on youtube tonight - Belbin and Agosto (ice dancers) tangoing to Piazzolla.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8w76XZbP...
They work for, or do the work of, the oil companies whose vested interest it is to make change seem impossible.
I would say we've probably lost in Afghanistan due to our ridiculous involvement in Iraq.
You can't lose what you never had nor will. Helping drive the Taliban out of power (temporarily probably) was the best the US could have ever hoped for. When US boots hit the ground, as in Iraq, and as in Vietnam, defeat was ensured.
The age of western nations conquering and controlling other nations died out in the last century. But NeoCons are slow learners, apparently.
What's that adage about insanity being doing the same thing again expecting different results?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/200710...
Chalabi back in action in Iraq
By Nancy A. Youssef, McClatchy Newspapers Sun Oct 28, 4:23 PM ET
BAGHDAD- Ahmad Chalabi , the controversial, ubiquitous Iraqi politician and one-time Bush administration favorite, has re-emerged as a central figure in the latest U.S. strategy for Iraq .
Sitka
Sun, 10/28/07
11:09 pm
When US boots hit the ground, as in Iraq, and as in Vietnam, defeat was ensured.
----
I agree with you there, but with those two countries (Iraq and Vietnam) we were never attacked on American soil. It was extremely difficult for the American people to maintain support for the QUAGMIRES because they appeared so irrelevant. In regards to Vietnam, the Johnson administration tried to limit the impact of it on the American people by refusing to mobilize the Guard or Reserves and Bush told the American people to go to Disneyland. Now, we have extremely difficult 15 month tours for the Army to complete.
However, with the Taleban being based in Afghanistan, it would have been possible to secure the country and reconstruct it because the necessary forces and allied support would have been available. Seeing how fractured NATO is and the bogged down American presence in Iraq (policing a Civil War), the idea that we can succeed in Afghanistan seems remote.
And the Bush administration deserves all the blame for the trouble.
there is a way out of the middle east...kill every one. it is possibly the most economical plan. kill every one. ok. we kill every one in the middle east, wait a couple of months for their bodies to rot into nothing, and then claim the land as american property. we're in complete control. we win. we are the winners.
if we're going to "win" we have to get a grip on this thing.
winning is everything.
winning is all.
winning is me and you.
we're winning.
yeah!!!
what is the most horrible thing you can think of? do you suppose our government is already thinking it?
new thread
http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/22716...
I agree with you there, but with those two countries (Iraq and Vietnam) we were never attacked on American soil.
Afghanistan didn't attack the US. Hell, Bush's big army can't even root al Qaeda out. How was the Taliban supposed to control them?
Goading Bush into Aghanistan after the WTC attack was another victory for al Qaeda. They just keep racking them up.
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