[hedgetrimmer]

It's tougher to be a terrorist because of intelligence cooperation, law-enforcement cooperation, homeland-security cooperation. That is a successful example of integration with the trade. Despite the imperfections, shall we say, in the WTO [World Trade Organization] system, that's an impressive global arrangement where countries voluntarily cede some of their sovereignty because they themselves benefit from participating in a world-based system.

-- Richard N. Haass, president, Council on Foreign Relations; author, The Opportunity

May 31, 2005

** Say, when did we all voluntarily cede our sovereignty to the WTO? The "free traders" keep telling us this isn't so.

[processing please hold]

Say, when did we all voluntarily cede our sovereignty to the WTO? The "free traders" keep telling us this isn't so.

When Americans weren't paying attention to what our government was up too.

[1rudeboy]

If some yob named Richard Haass says it, it must be true.

[mr_hammer]

For the last time, it's not "Free Trader's" it's "Free Traitor's" Got it! Jeez!

[Donald Meaker]

We didn't cede anything.

If a country is using unfair trade practices (take the US Steel Tarrifs, for example) the protesting country can take punitative action. By going to the WTO there is some kind of standard that confirms that the trade practices are indeed unfair, and that counter action is fair.

By going to the WTO, the offended country agrees not to take punative action until the WTO rules. If they don't want to take it to the WTO, then go ahead and take what ever action you want to, but the people you take the action against may be upset, and take a further action against you. Too much of this and poof, a trade war.

The US is currently subsidizing a number of export products, and has tarrifs on other goods. The people who want to compete are offended, and all they want to do is to sell their stuff for what they can get. The subsidy and tarrif distort the market, and hurt them.

Free trade doesnt need 700 plus pages. Canada has placed a tarrif on some US goods, because the US subsidizes other goods under the "Byrd Amendment" which prohibits dumping. If dumping is charged, the supplier who provides cheap stuff is fined, and the fine goes to his US competitor.

Of course US competetors all agree on one thing: that overseas competition has to be dumping! The fed pays for the prosecution and the corporation gets the money... great work, if you can get it.