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Is the TPP about Free Trade or Economic Nationalism? [Trans Pacific Partnership]
Cato ^
| December 26, 2013
| Simon Lester
Posted on 12/31/2013 11:28:29 AM PST by 1rudeboy
One of the big Obama administration trade initiatives going on right now is negotiations with eleven countries in the Pacific region, called the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). What exactly is being talked about in these trade talks? Is it really about free trade? Based on standard media coverage of the issue, it’s not easy to discern. Here’s an example from the Washington Post.
In the print version of the piece, the title notes that the U.S. is seeking to shape global trading rules; and the sub-title says that the goal of the talks is a freer flow of world commerce. That sounds free trade-ish. But is it free trade? And if not, what is it?
When you look at the substance that is described in the article, the talks seems much broader, and do not have a very free trade feel. Take a look at these examples:
When Vietnamese officials issued new Internet rules this year, the U.S. tech industry gave a shudder.
The regulations clamp down on political speech, require companies such as Facebook and Google to invest in local computer infrastructure to store information on Vietnamese users, and could force chipmakers to strip standard encryption features from their processors.
Only one of these is about free trade (the local computer storage requirements). The rest are all domestic laws that affect trade. But perhaps more accurately, the U.S. trade goal here is changing other countries domestic laws so as to increase US exports, which isn’t free trade at all.
Some of these changes may be good (e.g., taking on speech restrictions); I’m less certain about others, such as the stronger intellectual property rules mentioned later in the article. But the article gives away the real policy goal, when it says:
the more significant fights … are over issues such as the regulation of the Internet and e-commerce, the rules for the patent and sale of biopharmaceuticals, and the oversight of logistics, consulting, energy management and other service industries where the U.S. holds an edge.
Putting it this way, the talks seem to be about economic nationalism pursued through trade agreements! Make everyone use our rules, which will give our companies an advantage. Along the same lines, the online title of the article is as follows: Through trade treaty, U.S. hopes rules that favor its companies will become the norm.
There is real free trade in these talks, of course. There will be lower tariffs and liberalized services trade, and government procurement will be opened up to foreign competition. But the shift to other subjects as the focus, and the emphasis on giving advantages to U.S. companies, has fundamentally altered the nature of these agreements and the debate, and in the process left the media confused about how to talk about free trade and trade agreements. They keep trying to make these agreements sound like they are about free trade, but with the hurdle that much of what’s in them is not.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Foreign Affairs; Government; Japan
KEYWORDS: china; indonesia; japan; malaysia; tpp; vietnam
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1
posted on
12/31/2013 11:28:29 AM PST
by
1rudeboy
To: Toddsterpatriot; Mase; expat_panama; 1010RD; SAJ
Happy New Year!
Another decent read.
2
posted on
12/31/2013 11:29:49 AM PST
by
1rudeboy
To: 1rudeboy
Bring back American jobs to the United States.
Now.
To: Cringing Negativism Network
Let me add, I want a pony.
4
posted on
12/31/2013 11:36:14 AM PST
by
1rudeboy
To: 1rudeboy
It is about getting rid of US sovereignty
. pure and simple
5
posted on
12/31/2013 11:46:31 AM PST
by
Nifster
To: Nifster
The only problem with that is, China has a population five times ours, China makes more than we do now, and our “factories” in China are all MINORITY-owned by America.
China is running the game now. China holds all the cards, and a handful of high-level Americans are giving away our nation’s future.
Bring back US jobs now.
To: Cringing Negativism Network; Nifster
Is the TPP about Free Trade or Economic Nationalism? [Trans Pacific Partnership]
Neither. It is about subjugating US sovereignty to global fascism run by huge supranational bureaucracies composed of citizens of the world.
You both might enjoy:
Free Trade
7
posted on
12/31/2013 12:41:01 PM PST
by
khelus
To: Cringing Negativism Network
8
posted on
12/31/2013 1:40:13 PM PST
by
Nifster
To: Nifster
Care to point out what is wrong, in what I wrote?
(just wondering)
We are creating the world’s biggest problem, in China.
And both of our political parties, as selling out in this process.
The people getting screwed, are basic patriotic Americans.
The middle-class.
Everyone else is busy selling out lock, stock and barrel.
To: Cringing Negativism Network
10
posted on
12/31/2013 2:09:35 PM PST
by
Nifster
To: Cringing Negativism Network
Good luck with that.
It's not "free trade" and "globalism" that's killing U.S. employment in many industry sectors. It's the shrinking size of the U.S. market compared to the rest of the world. The best you can hope for is that more production is done here to serve our domestic market, because there's no way in hell the U.S. is going to be a major source of exports of most manufactured products anytime soon.
If you want to see what the U.S. is up against, just take a look at a couple of startling graphics:
The first graphic is a map of the world.
The population of the area in the circle in the second graphic exceeds the population of the rest of the world.
These jobs haven't just been shipped to Asia because the labor is cheaper over there. They've been shipped to Asia because there are more customers over there.
11
posted on
12/31/2013 2:10:43 PM PST
by
Alberta's Child
("I've never seen such a conclave of minstrels in my life.")
To: Nifster
It is very hard to argue with that.
At all.
We have been sending American jobs everywhere all around the globe, but America, for over an entire generation.
Bring them back.
It is time to re-industrialize right here at home.
To: 1rudeboy
13
posted on
12/31/2013 2:26:28 PM PST
by
AllAmericanGirl44
(Wishing all a very Merry Christmas)
To: Cringing Negativism Network
14
posted on
12/31/2013 5:20:50 PM PST
by
Nifster
To: Alberta's Child; Cringing Negativism Network
Astute, but you will not make progress with CNN.
15
posted on
12/31/2013 5:28:10 PM PST
by
1010RD
(First, Do No Harm)
To: 1010RD
You are right.
I’ve been to China, and understand China’s system is much different than America’s system.
China owns everything in China. Even “American” companies, have a majority Chinese owner, and everything belongs to the state. That is to say ... NOTHING BELONGS TO AMERICANS.
Nothing.
America for all it’s innovation and historic leadership, is being blindly led down a path toward complete sell-out, apparently by both parties.
We need to bring back American jobs.
One of our parties, very badly needs to start supporting American businesses once again.
I hope, with everything I know, that party is the Republicans.
If not, we’re doomed.
(IMO)
To: Cringing Negativism Network
You get some things right, but you have a lot of wires crossed. Did you listen to or read any of those links I gave you?
17
posted on
12/31/2013 9:11:52 PM PST
by
1010RD
(First, Do No Harm)
To: 1010RD
What wires crossed please?
Thanks.
You have an example?
To: Alberta's Child
...jobs haven't just been shipped to Asia because the labor is cheaper over there. They've been shipped to Asia because there are more customers over there. So not only has free trade shipped jobs to Asia, free trade has shipped all the customers to Asia!!
To: Cringing Negativism Network
When you say “bring back American jobs” which type/class of job are you talking about?
Did you listen to the talks I linked for you?
20
posted on
01/01/2014 7:01:32 AM PST
by
1010RD
(First, Do No Harm)
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