Free trade?

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Looking over the topic, and considering this and that, I am still for free trade. Now, whatever you have been told, understand that no such thing exists at this point. Free trade, true free trade, is an exceptional idea. No fees, fines, taxes, or such imposed on the exchange of goods delivered over borders is an excellent manner of trade. There are, of course, caveats.

First, all of what passes for free trade, at this time, is no such thing. The U.S. has simply agreed to using a blindfold and having our nation's hands tied behind it's back in these deals. I think this is being done to encourage manufacturing and other work out of the nation. Whether this is done because of the cost of U.S. workers, unions, or the dreaded environmental lobby, though probably a bit of all of those, is unclear and probably depends more on which government agency, department, bureaucrat, or elected official is doing the pushing.

China, for example, is cheating so heavily and handily that the trade imbalance is impossible. This does bring cheap goods into the markets, while collapsing the eventual ability of Americans to be able to afford even those goods. I have, for many years now, considered why complaints to the WTO have not gone forward. It is because U.S. politicians want what is happening to happen (and perhaps to a minor degree because that organization would not act in our interests in any case). Both parties are getting goodies out of that bag.

One caveat, about even real free trade, is that it would by the nature of how it works eliminate some (possibly great) capacity in the U.S. As is, capacity to produce even minor goods are being lost at a terrifying rate. Honest free trade would only slow that. Without the capacity to produce what we need, we do lower the price of the goods we want. We also make war less and less likely. Then again, enemies while in the middle of wars often trade what their enemy needs for what they want in the most bizarre of schemes (often those who do the trading during the war are chastised after it, publicly, in spite of the unofficial official go-aheads during the war).

The question is whether people want less expensive (at the risk of cheap) goods, or whether they want to live a more humble, less product driven life? As for me, I would prefer to have things made in America and live with less. But what I want and what is are two different things almost every time. Why then do I say free trade is a good thing? Well, that is simple economics, which sets aside national interests, considerations for war, and other issues. The people have to choose and have chosen. Oh, by the way, Chevy is NOT an American company. If you are going to pick American made, make sure you are not simply buying a bill of goods to which there is no real merit. Further, even if something is American made, if it is poor product, sidestep it like you would any venomous snake.