Minnie Bee's Rant:
Most
Americans over the age of 15 remember where they were on 9/11/2001. In a matter of minutes, our lives were
changed forever. Ten years later, the effects
of that day are present in our lives in many ways. The Department of Homeland Security, the TSA
with associated scans and pat-downs at airports, the Patriot Act, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - these have become everyday fixtures in the United
States. There has been relatively little disagreement among American
politicians and the media that these conflicts, agencies and laws have made our
country safer. No one has complained of “protectionism” in response to their
establishment, although, in fact, they exist to protect the United States.
In
contrast, in the ten years since 9/11, the U.S. economy has been left largely
unprotected. Many of our present
economic difficulties originated with 9/11, yet whenever there has been an
attempt to encourage Americans to buy American-made products, or to reduce the
influx of foreign-made products flooding U.S. markets, or to level the playing
field for U.S. companies by increasing U.S. duties and tariffs on foreign-made
exports, many politicians and the media have
complained that such measures are “protectionism,” as though to protect the
U.S.economy is something negative.
"Protectionism" and
"isolationism" are not one and the same, although these politicians
and their lackey media representatives would like us to think they are.
Why? Because it is to the advantage of
wealthy, American multi-national corporations
to keep the United States in an
inequitable trade position. By doing
this, these big corporations can
outsource American jobs to foreign countries, and exploit cheap foreign labor
and undervalued foreign currency - for example, pay less than $1 per hour to
workers in Viet Nam - then turn around
and import these products back to the U.S. in order to sell them to Americans at huge
profits. Keeping the U.S.
in a position where exporting products from a foreign country to the U.S. is
inexpensive, and exporting products from the U.S. to a foreign country is
expensive helps these greedy, unpatriotic corporations maximize their profits
at the expense of American jobs, and to justify what they're doing.Economic protectionism, far from being the negative idea that has been sold to the American public, would have a positive effect. In times of crisis, no matter whether the crisis is military, social, or economic, one must get their own house in order first. This is as true for countries as it is for individuals. Economic protectionism would help us to get our house in order by incentivizing corporations to manufacture goods in the USA and export goods from the USA, thereby creating U.S. jobs and boosting the U.S. economy.
On Thursday, when President Obama laid out his plan for the American Jobs Act (AJA), he mentioned that the AJA would encourage the export of USA-made goods and products to foreign countries. He also said that he was anticipating the establishment of additional free trade agreements. In the past, President Obama has talked about a "level playing field" for trade between the U.S. and foreign economies, and, in fact, has made some early efforts in that direction. I hope the President keeps in mind that although free trade agreements can be positive, if such agreements don't contain conditions and requirements for a level playing field, they are usually detrimental, like NAFTA, to our economy. In any fair trade agreement, participating countries should have to pay fair and equitable import/export duties and tariffs.
I believe that the American Jobs Act will help to create jobs and revitalize the economy. I hope that you will support the AJA, and let your Congressional representatives know that they should pass this jobs-creating legislation. I hope that you will also tell your representatives that you want all fair trade agreements to establish a level playing field for "Made in USA" products. This will serve to nurture and protect the U.S. economy. We can recognize that we exist in a global world, and we can do business in a global economy, but economic protectionism would be good for us and good for our country.
************
We create and keep U.S. jobs when we demand, promote, and buy Made in USA
goods and products.
This week's recommended products:
Is the weird weather
we're having causing you bad hair days?
Try these Made in USA hair care products. Remember to check labels. Please feel free to post your own research to
this blog!
·
California North Hair Care
Products
- Made in USA by California North, Sausalito, CA
·
J Beverly Hills Hair Care
Products
- Made in USA by Juan Juan, Beverly Hills, CA
·
Pureology Serious Color Care - Made in USA by Purelogy Research
LLC, Irvine, CA
·
Alterna Professional Haircare - Made in USA by Alterna Professional
Haircare, Beverly Hills, CA
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