The Shockingly High Cost Of Free Trade: 10 Reasons Why Globalism Is Bad For Middle Class Americans

I don't believe in free trade, and neither should you.---rng

from endoftheamericandream.com

Today, there are very few national figures that are dissenting from the politically-correct viewpoint that free trade is a good thing.  The vast majority of Republican politicians believe in free trade.  The vast majority of Democrats believe in free trade.  Barack Obama believes in free trade.  Nancy Pelosi believes in free trade.  Rush Limbaugh believes in free trade.  Glenn Beck believes in free trade.  In fact, just about anyone who goes on mainstream media and starts speaking out against free trade is immediately branded an idiot who does not understand the first thing about economics.  So considering the fact that leaders on both sides of the "political spectrum" fully embrace free trade, shouldn't we just go with the consensus and consider the debate about trade to be over?  Well, there is just one problem.  All of this globalism and free trade is killing the American Dream and is destroying the American middle class. 

But isn't being able to purchase products at the store for a much lower price a good thing?  If China can make clothing much cheaper than we can, then why shouldn't our clothes be made in their factories?

Well, it turns out that free trade and low prices come with a shockingly high cost.

The following are 10 reasons why globalism and free trade are really bad for middle class Americans....

1- Millions upon millions of good paying middle class jobs have been outsourced and offshored and they are never coming back.  The transition to a global economy has put middle class American workers in direct competition with the cheapest labor in the world.  The gigantic global predator corporations that now dominate the world economy have made their choice and they are moving factories and offices out of the United States at a staggering rate.  30 million Americans are now unemployed or underemployed.  Today there are approximately 6 unemployed Americans for every single job opening.  But why should giant global corporations hire middle class Americans?  In many areas of the third world, the taxes are much lower, regulations are virtually non-existent and highly-motivated workers will gladly work for less than a tenth of what a middle class American worker would make.   

2 - The millions of American workers that have lost their jobs end up being supported by the government.  The truth is that we pay for American workers one way or another.  Either we buy the products and services they create or we support welfare payments to them.  In the United States today, the average time needed to find a job has risen to an all-time record of 35.2 weeks.  The number of Americans receiving long-term unemployment benefits is at record levels.  The number of Americans who are receiving food stamps rose to a new all-time record of 40.8 million in May.  In fact, the number of Americans on food stamps has set a new all-time record for 18 months in a row.  One way or another, we are going to end up financially supporting American workers.  Would you rather buy their products and services or would you rather have your taxes raised to pay for their welfare benefits?

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