New Us Trade Rules To Affect Thailand

[ChiangMaiAmerican]

More bad news from America The commentators are applauding a partial but real gentling of American politics these days. President George W. Bush and the opposition-dominated Congress are discussing a sensible middle way in what appeared to be an Iraq war of US rhetoric. They also seem likely to reach near-unanimous agreement on immigration and illegal workers, one of the country's thorniest continuing problems. But it is unfortunate that this kinder, gentler relationship has come up with new rules for American trade. This may be good for the spirit of political compromise, but it is an unexpected and dangerous booby trap to the ideal of free trade with Thailand and much of the world.

AND:

It is too bad that the extreme protectionists of the right and the anti-trade unionists of the American left have been able to push through a decidedly immoderate agreement in the name of free trade.

Full article:

http://bangkokpost.com/News/15May2007_news16.php

This from the Wasdhington Post. Organized Labor was the big winner here. Drug companies are the big loser. Yet the Bangkok Post attempts to make right wingers and business the big winner because of the labor standards provision that will make child labor a violation.

Sticking Points On Trade Turn Into Tipping Point

By Steven Pearlstein Friday, May 11, 2007; Page D01

On the surface, it's hard to see how a couple of trade treaties with small countries to the south could suddenly become the decisive battleground in the war over trade and globalization. After all, if the entire economic output of Panama were exported to the United States, would anyone here notice? Is there an American alive who worries about the competitive threat from Peru?

But since NAFTA, the opening of China and the rise of outsourcing to India, the bipartisan consensus for trade liberalization has disappeared. Wal-Mart prices were great, but not if they meant Wal-Mart wages and benefits for wide swaths of the middle class. Why should we approve any new trade treaties, even minor ones, until concerns about job loss and wage stagnation are addressed?

AND

On the key sticking point of labor standards required of our trading partners, organized labor won on points: International Labor Organization standards will be included in the text of treaties and enforced like any other provision, with no exceptions for the United States. In this case, however, the standards aren't the ones contained in eight separate ILO "conventions," which the United States never ratified, but vaguer ones contained in a 1998 "declaration." The effect was to insulate the United States from a body of ILO case law that business considered hostile.

A big loser was the pharmaceutical industry, which fought for a favorable interpretation of how long trading partners must wait before introducing generic versions of U.S.-patented drugs. The deal agreed to by the White House: When the drug goes off patent in the United States, it goes off patent everywhere.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...ml?hpid=topnews

Thailand's free trade opponents have been using patent extension as an excuse to fight the US-Thailand FTA. That issue is now moot.

Edited May 15, 2007 by ChiangMaiAmerican

[DrFisher]

It is impossible for the USA to cut trade off with anyone simply because the USA no longer produces anything it is mostly imported. Dimler is now selling Chrysler back to private American investors after acquiring $4 billion in debt because #1 they pay $2 billion a year in health insurance and #2 the average high school drop out earns $30 per hour. It's unbelievable what has happened to the USA but I don't see a bright future (my number 3 reason for moving to Thailand).

[Pepe']

It is impossible for the USA to cut trade off with anyone simply because the USA no longer produces anything it is mostly imported. Dimler is now selling Chrysler back to private American investors after acquiring $4 billion in debt because #1 they pay $2 billion a year in health insurance and #2 the average high school drop out earns $30 per hour. It's unbelievable what has happened to the USA but I don't see a bright future (my number 3 reason for moving to Thailand).

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Again sorry to be blunt but "If the USA goes down you all go down"

[PeaceBlondie]

Dr. Fisher, I generally agree with you, but if all those high school dropouts are making $30 per hour, how come all four of my kids who dropped out in 9th grade make no more than $11 per hour, except for the kid who migrated to Ireland? Even my daughter with BA and M.Ed. isn't making more than $60,000 per year.

Anyway, back to Thailand. How does this affect Thailand?

[PeaceBlondie]

The thread does not appear to two moderators who bothered to give an opinion (one American, one not) to be related to Thailand, and it is far too likely to be a slugging match. And I still haven't bought my handbag!

Topic closed.