Globalization

I remember years ago when Ross Perot told us what his thoughts on NAFTA, (the North American Free Trade Agreement), were. It went something like,” That giant sucking sound that you hear is the sound of Jobs flowing to Mexico.” Well something like that. Now I don’t know about anyone else’s job, but my job, even though it just begging for foreign placement, has not left. Apparently, someone isn’t sucking hard enough. I would give tips, but that’s a different story. What I’m trying to say is that I believe in Globalization, and for a reason.

I believe that artificial protectionism and forced mercantilism are the millstones around our necks that keep us and the world from truly benefiting from all of the resources that are out there and need to be dismantled both here and abroad. I believe that the import duties that we pay for products just because they are cheaper than the ones made domestically hurt the poor and prop up industries that are in need of overhauling or at least revitalization. I believe that subsidies given to farmers so that they can make their crops cheaper for export help hurt famers in Africa and elsewhere by undercutting their prices and so force peoples of poverty stricken nations to remain poor and hungry and not develop their own farms and rely more and more on American grain that they will soon no longer be able to afford.

I believe in the attempts in Doha of the WTO (World Trade Organization) to have the United States, the European states and other nations drop tariffs and taxes and other trade barriers that nations put up to protect their own industries so that everyone could gain from lower prices and increased competition and the possible development of industries in the less developed nations.

Why do I believe in all of this? Because I just ordered a new laptop for almost a third of what I paid for one 4 or 5 years ago with a hell of a lot more bells and whistles than I have now. Designed by some people in California and made with parts that were constructed in Malaysia by some woman making some ridiculously low salary, but still high for her neck of the woods. And then it was assembled in Mexico for pesos on the dollar. Who knows what the thing would have cost if it were all done in New Hampshire. Progress? Perhaps. World trade and globalization? Definitely, and I’m loving it.

If all of us can can create wealth then all of us should share the wealth. And so I say in the spirit of the Olympics, One World! One Dream!