Fair trade can limit outsourcing of U.S. jobs
I have recently become aware of the topic of fair trade and its many benefits. In researching this topic, I came across articles related to free trade. There seem to be issues with free trade that could be helped by fair trade.
Free trade is supposed to create jobs, but many are being lost to outsourcing. The top business people are making more at the expense of others because of a lack of global standards.
Fair trade is a means of providing a living wage to workers using safe working and environmental standards and promoting self-sufficiency. It not only helps the economic status of the countries where fair trade is being practiced, but it would also help the U.S. economy.
When we pay a living wage for an item, we increase the economic stability of the country it's being purchased from which in turn reduces the need for U.S. help. This increase in economic stability enables that country to take care of its own citizens. Employers can provide jobs in their own country, which may decrease U.S. outsourcing because the price to outsource will increase. Based on today's economy and the unemployment rate, it would behoove politicians to embrace fair trade.
Lauren Doyle
Jamestown
Comments (5)
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As a National Politician, Ms. Doyle, I would like to support your new-found cause, but first .. what's in it for me?
Posted on March 6, 2007 6:42 AM
"The top business people are making more at the expense of others because of a lack of global standards."
Ahem...uhhh...Lauren, you think we need global standards for compensation of business people?
If so get ready to take a pay cut yourself. Americans are well compensated as compared to...say....Algerians or Botswanans. A Middle Class AmeriAs a businessman, I for one do not favor any global standard for my income. Think seriously about what you are saying Lauren.can making $50K would be considered a "top business person".
Take a look at this:
http://siakhenn.tripod.com/capita.html
We are sitting around the top in per capita income along with a few Northern European countries, but they are taxed much worse than we are. Must be why my 20 oz Diet Coke cost me $5 each last summer in Norway.
Is it my fault that per capita in Zimbabwe is $1900? No it's the fault of the Mugabe regime which has stripped it's citizens of their property and forced them to produce for the state.
Your ideal is commendable, if Mexicans for example were paid better some of them would quit flooding into the US. But more is needed than that, particularly less govt. corruption. Less taxes would be helpful, but many, particularly Europeans, enjoy the nanny state that uber high taxation provides.
Posted on March 6, 2007 6:57 AM
I'll blame it on cutting/pasting failure and lack of proofreading.
"As a middle class American businessman...."
Posted on March 6, 2007 7:01 AM
Dan good link... Where're the taxes shown?
Posted on March 6, 2007 9:55 AM
... not that I disagree...
I have long contended that for all the whining heard, we are the least taxed of developed countries .. I'm looking for recent proof of dis-proof.
Posted on March 6, 2007 9:56 AM