As usual, what about the workers? Humans have value, I insist! Foreign companies can deliver goods cheaper for sure, if they don't have to be bothered by those pesky human rights, or worry about those bothersome environmental concerns.
I don't "understand economics or free trade policies". I'm trying to learn. I notice certain patterns to the arguments.
The arguments in favor of free-trade (and also arguments in favor of forcing gentically modified organisms on the world, and other arguments urging activists into inaction) generally take the form:
"blah blah blah blah" and that's why we should get richer, you should give us all your _____ and should remain poor and poisoned.
Or,
_____ will increase our profits and you should accept ____ because the harm caused to you will not be that bad.
If I were a laborer and there were these rich people blathering at me, I would not buy any of it, if what it comes down to is that I'm going to be suffering and they are going to be getting richer.
People who want to oppose this should contact their senators this week, to urge them to fight against this and CAFTA and FTAA.
Here are talking points about the chile/singapore FTA from public citizen:
http://www.citizen.org/trade/issues/singapore/articles.cfm?ID=9671Here's a thing about the effect of NAFTA on workers:
http://www.epinet.org/content.cfm/briefingpapers_nafta01_index