Back in the early 90's I responded to an article in the now defunct Denver newspaper "The Rocky Mountain News", about a Washington envoy named Yucichi Yanagishima, and his exposing how "Free Trade Goes One Way In Japan"! I commented on how a Ford Taurus sold in America for around $15,000 dollars, would cost nearly $33,000 in Japan (after all of the outrageous taxes and fees added on to imported vehicles...especially from the USA)!!! They litterally force their residents to buy what they produce, and those who wish not to, have to pay double the cost of their Toyota Camry would cost there! We however(thanks to Reagan, and our first George Bush as presidents), rolled out the red carpet to Japanese manufactures (back in the late '80's, '90's, and '00's, allowing Japanese car makers to avoid the former tariffs we used to impose on their imports here, by letting them assemble their vehicles here. Furthermore, by letting them buy American real estate, we also eliminated the tariffs that allowed their cars and trucks to be sold equally priced to ours. Do you think they did that with our products over there? Heck No... according to Yanagishima's story (which was an AP release)!
In my letter to the editor, I even spoke about the one-way fair trading, and how it would result in hundreds (thousands) of loss American manufacturing jobs, if it didn't stop...in another article I wrote, I called it an economic "Pearl Harbor". I saw it then, and even challenged a Washington envoy who had the nerve to come out to my then Denver-area highschool to tell parents that we needed to raise our children up to do service oriented jobs/careers. I felt it was a cop-out to tell our American children that because they're Americans, they don't have the where-with-all to manufacture products we use in our everyday, like we and our ancestors did! I called him out on it, and his reply was that American manufacturiing was going overseas (and not coming back), and we needed to train our young in other fields. What makes a kid from Japan, China, or any other country in the world better at making our durable goods than our American kids? Not a damn thing in my opinion!!! If we don't stop this, our borders may/will someday be controlled by countries who don't allow their people to enjoy daily life with the liberties & freedom we get to...DO WE REALLY WANT THIS AMERICANS???
We need to bring back MADE IN THE USA, and the time to do it is NOW!!!
Joe - 11 years ago
The big reason I do not want this treaty signed is the way in which it has been debated behind close doors. The comment that Warren expressed also concerns me. If in fact this thing would be a no go if people new what was in it and the reason they are not telling us about it's specifics is that very reason. Then I say no until I see a PUBLIC debate on the finer points. I tend to trust this President, but I do not always agree with everything he does and/or the way in which he approaches/strategizes things.
JOE COMMON - 11 years ago
HOLD YOUR HORSES!!!
here is what you are not seeing... LOOK AT THOSE COUNTRIES. WHAT DO THEY EXPORT?
SUPPORT PRESIDENT OBAMA ON THIS DEAL.
This will NOT cost u.s. jobs.
This has to do with 2016
Ed, we need to talk.
a99weeker - 11 years ago
Curious... could these polls be enhanced to show the total # of declared Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Tea Party (realizing many will probably mislead). On the show, show the total # of votes received. On the website, allow people to enter a very short reason why they voted the way they did...
aNew99Weeker - 11 years ago
We should NOT allow this anymore than we should allow the current "immigration" bill to allow the H1B Visa POISON-PILL amendments to be passed in the bill from the Senate...
This is EXACTLY where 1000's of US Citizen I/T workers are heading (myself included)...
PLEASE SHOUT LOUD AGAINST THESE POISON PILL AMENDMENTS!!!!!
Cecly Corbett - 11 years ago
The corporations own the Supreme Court, the congress and our country. They've destroyed the public school system and the unions,. We're slaves to our TV's, so they can keep us distracted, at odds with each other, sell their products and keep us from fighting back. They create the illusion of freedom, they won't be satisfied until the own everything.
Mark - 11 years ago
Thank you Ed for bringing this into the light of day. It's deeply concerning.
TOYBB - 11 years ago
NEVER !!!
Brenda Mercado - 11 years ago
Thanks to Ed for bringing this out. Unfortunately, this has been a dirty little secret for a while. I can't imagine why anyone in this country would trust another free trade agreement. I don't care what they say this will only hurt America. I was totally opposed to NAFTA and all the others. This will absolutely destroy the U.S. I am so very disappointed in our president for even considering it and am perplexed as to why he insists on fast tracking this. He has said he wants to sign it by October. Elizabeth Warren first contacted him about it, and he told her that if the American people knew what was in it they would not want him to sign it. She told him then why would you sign it. I can no longer support anyone from either party except Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. The rest need to leave. We need a new party. One that only represents the poor and middle class. The rich can take care of themselves.
Sharon Ann Ashton - 11 years ago
We as American consumers have to start weaning ourselves off of merchandise made in foreign countries.
We need to look at items we are contemplating on buying and if not made in this country put it back on the shelf and walk away. Unless it's a life or death item, its not worth destroying our country and our middle class society. Remember, even when it comes to helping those in need in our country the heavy lifting still, as always, comes from the middle class - not the 1%.
Love your show - glad your back on weekdays. MSNBC has a terrific line-up this season.
Paul Thomas Cahill - 11 years ago
I'm all for free trade, but if we're the only ones in favor of it, that is gross inequality. Time to put some rationality into our trade policies!
Sandy D. - 11 years ago
I'd say hell no just like Ed. We don't need any trade agreements that hurt our country. These big corporations in our company are like leeches, they take and take and take and never give. And yet they get tax breaks like crazy and we don't get anything like that. We need jobs in this country, more jobs would be good not less which is what this trade agreement and other agreements have done. Nothing for our country--we need to get more jobs, that's what it is all about!!!
j - 11 years ago
ABSOLUTELY NOT, TRADE AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN A DISASTER FOR OUR COUNTRY AND ECONOMY, LOSS OF MANUFACTURING, EXCESSIVE IMPORTS FROM CHEAP LABOR AND INFERIOR PRODUCTS TO FILL THE WALMARTS AND KMARTS WHILE DOWNSIZING THE MIDDLE CLASS, AN ABSOLUTE HORROR IN THE MAKING WHOEVER VOTED YES NEEDS TO RE-EVALUATE THEIR THINKING PROCESS AS THEY ARE CLEARLY NOT IN THEIR RIGHT MIND....NO TO ANY TRADE DEALS..WE CANNOT SUPPORT THE ENTIRE WORLD AND THEIR ECONOMY...
Alice Santos - 11 years ago
We need to have Confidence in President Obama that he will put the American Workers best interest first.
judith Blair - 11 years ago
Thanks, Ed, for addressing the TPP. I've been particularly concerned about the tribunal. Countries that have rejected GMOs could be forced by the tribunal to accept them or pay a prohibitive fine. Corporations could sue countries for banning certain pesticides (that's happening right now--no fantasy). The USA could be forced to accept products with toxic lead paint. Once corporations have the green light to sue nations for banning their products, Pandora's box is wide open!
Back in the early 90's I responded to an article in the now defunct Denver newspaper "The Rocky Mountain News", about a Washington envoy named Yucichi Yanagishima, and his exposing how "Free Trade Goes One Way In Japan"! I commented on how a Ford Taurus sold in America for around $15,000 dollars, would cost nearly $33,000 in Japan (after all of the outrageous taxes and fees added on to imported vehicles...especially from the USA)!!! They litterally force their residents to buy what they produce, and those who wish not to, have to pay double the cost of their Toyota Camry would cost there! We however(thanks to Reagan, and our first George Bush as presidents), rolled out the red carpet to Japanese manufactures (back in the late '80's, '90's, and '00's, allowing Japanese car makers to avoid the former tariffs we used to impose on their imports here, by letting them assemble their vehicles here. Furthermore, by letting them buy American real estate, we also eliminated the tariffs that allowed their cars and trucks to be sold equally priced to ours. Do you think they did that with our products over there? Heck No... according to Yanagishima's story (which was an AP release)!
In my letter to the editor, I even spoke about the one-way fair trading, and how it would result in hundreds (thousands) of loss American manufacturing jobs, if it didn't stop...in another article I wrote, I called it an economic "Pearl Harbor". I saw it then, and even challenged a Washington envoy who had the nerve to come out to my then Denver-area highschool to tell parents that we needed to raise our children up to do service oriented jobs/careers. I felt it was a cop-out to tell our American children that because they're Americans, they don't have the where-with-all to manufacture products we use in our everyday, like we and our ancestors did! I called him out on it, and his reply was that American manufacturiing was going overseas (and not coming back), and we needed to train our young in other fields. What makes a kid from Japan, China, or any other country in the world better at making our durable goods than our American kids? Not a damn thing in my opinion!!! If we don't stop this, our borders may/will someday be controlled by countries who don't allow their people to enjoy daily life with the liberties & freedom we get to...DO WE REALLY WANT THIS AMERICANS???
We need to bring back MADE IN THE USA, and the time to do it is NOW!!!
The big reason I do not want this treaty signed is the way in which it has been debated behind close doors. The comment that Warren expressed also concerns me. If in fact this thing would be a no go if people new what was in it and the reason they are not telling us about it's specifics is that very reason. Then I say no until I see a PUBLIC debate on the finer points. I tend to trust this President, but I do not always agree with everything he does and/or the way in which he approaches/strategizes things.
HOLD YOUR HORSES!!!
here is what you are not seeing... LOOK AT THOSE COUNTRIES. WHAT DO THEY EXPORT?
SUPPORT PRESIDENT OBAMA ON THIS DEAL.
This will NOT cost u.s. jobs.
This has to do with 2016
Ed, we need to talk.
Curious... could these polls be enhanced to show the total # of declared Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Tea Party (realizing many will probably mislead). On the show, show the total # of votes received. On the website, allow people to enter a very short reason why they voted the way they did...
We should NOT allow this anymore than we should allow the current "immigration" bill to allow the H1B Visa POISON-PILL amendments to be passed in the bill from the Senate...
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/silicon-valley-h1b-visas-hurt-tech-workers
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/28/1219644/-Senate-Immigration-Bill-and-H1B-Visas
This is EXACTLY where 1000's of US Citizen I/T workers are heading (myself included)...
PLEASE SHOUT LOUD AGAINST THESE POISON PILL AMENDMENTS!!!!!
The corporations own the Supreme Court, the congress and our country. They've destroyed the public school system and the unions,. We're slaves to our TV's, so they can keep us distracted, at odds with each other, sell their products and keep us from fighting back. They create the illusion of freedom, they won't be satisfied until the own everything.
Thank you Ed for bringing this into the light of day. It's deeply concerning.
NEVER !!!
Thanks to Ed for bringing this out. Unfortunately, this has been a dirty little secret for a while. I can't imagine why anyone in this country would trust another free trade agreement. I don't care what they say this will only hurt America. I was totally opposed to NAFTA and all the others. This will absolutely destroy the U.S. I am so very disappointed in our president for even considering it and am perplexed as to why he insists on fast tracking this. He has said he wants to sign it by October. Elizabeth Warren first contacted him about it, and he told her that if the American people knew what was in it they would not want him to sign it. She told him then why would you sign it. I can no longer support anyone from either party except Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. The rest need to leave. We need a new party. One that only represents the poor and middle class. The rich can take care of themselves.
We as American consumers have to start weaning ourselves off of merchandise made in foreign countries.
We need to look at items we are contemplating on buying and if not made in this country put it back on the shelf and walk away. Unless it's a life or death item, its not worth destroying our country and our middle class society. Remember, even when it comes to helping those in need in our country the heavy lifting still, as always, comes from the middle class - not the 1%.
Love your show - glad your back on weekdays. MSNBC has a terrific line-up this season.
I'm all for free trade, but if we're the only ones in favor of it, that is gross inequality. Time to put some rationality into our trade policies!
I'd say hell no just like Ed. We don't need any trade agreements that hurt our country. These big corporations in our company are like leeches, they take and take and take and never give. And yet they get tax breaks like crazy and we don't get anything like that. We need jobs in this country, more jobs would be good not less which is what this trade agreement and other agreements have done. Nothing for our country--we need to get more jobs, that's what it is all about!!!
ABSOLUTELY NOT, TRADE AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN A DISASTER FOR OUR COUNTRY AND ECONOMY, LOSS OF MANUFACTURING, EXCESSIVE IMPORTS FROM CHEAP LABOR AND INFERIOR PRODUCTS TO FILL THE WALMARTS AND KMARTS WHILE DOWNSIZING THE MIDDLE CLASS, AN ABSOLUTE HORROR IN THE MAKING WHOEVER VOTED YES NEEDS TO RE-EVALUATE THEIR THINKING PROCESS AS THEY ARE CLEARLY NOT IN THEIR RIGHT MIND....NO TO ANY TRADE DEALS..WE CANNOT SUPPORT THE ENTIRE WORLD AND THEIR ECONOMY...
We need to have Confidence in President Obama that he will put the American Workers best interest first.
Thanks, Ed, for addressing the TPP. I've been particularly concerned about the tribunal. Countries that have rejected GMOs could be forced by the tribunal to accept them or pay a prohibitive fine. Corporations could sue countries for banning certain pesticides (that's happening right now--no fantasy). The USA could be forced to accept products with toxic lead paint. Once corporations have the green light to sue nations for banning their products, Pandora's box is wide open!