Al Sharpton Slavery and Free Trade

[corporatewhore]

Al Sharpton brought up a very good point in tonights debate about nafta and slavery. americans said slavery was justified because of the economic dependency and people like Thomas jefferson said slavery was bad and should be ended...eventually. today People say the say thing about nafta/ftaa/wto/imf Your thoughts please (imho thats a 18th century cop out not suitable for the 21st century)

[lcordero]

1. I don't think that it is a cop out

It is a completely valid opinion.
International trade authorities have the power to veto environmental, labor and human rights protections. This IS slavery since we don't have a means to protect ourselves and foreign people don't have a means to protect themselves either.

[gottaB]

2. echoing lcordero

Slavery and slave labor are unfortunately very much an aspect of today's world.

Al Sharpton has long been a voice for freedom and dignity here and in Africa.

The connection he draws between the slave trade and the injustice of current trade agreements is astute.

[corporatewhore]

3. kick!!

[corporatewhore]

4. revcarol wanted me to post this:We are just exporting the slavery to

Other countries

People to be held and worked in inhumane conditions that are unacceptable in any civilized country. Local politicos getting fat off the bribes given by the multi-nationals to move their capital there.

AND, HERE AT HOME, downward wage spiral caused by companies threatening to send their business overseas, which they generally do anyway a year or two after getting major wage and benefit concessions!! And people so desperate for anything to bring in money that they will work those minimum wage WalMart-type jobs, with no affordable health care and no benefits, just to keep their rent paid.

WAGE SLAVERY OR EXPORTED SLAVERY: two sides of the same coin.

And don't th;ink that just because one of the candidates(unnamed) wants to withdraw from NAFTA and forget about the WTO that this is going to fly. Withdrawing from NAFTA is illegal under the WTO.

And speaking of CHINA, IMHO it's a matter of national security that China, a nation that wishes us ill, holds so much of our national debt!!They could make our economy collapse in a NY minute if they sold this debt or wouldn't buy any more. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, "national security unnamed candidate!"