"There Ought To Be Limits To Freedom"
That oft-quoted bit of sage advice was GW Bush remarking on what he apparently saw as crimes against his - I dunno 'manliness?' - on a now defunct non-pro-Bush website FKA gwbush.com(the link still works, but is a redirect to gwbush.com's module at stickergiant.com)
Either Bush is truly prophetic, or it is through his administration's 'initiatives' that we US Americans are demonstrably less free than prior to his taking office.
Our 44th ranking in the annual "World Press Freedom Index" taken alone is a dumb figure, but since the US fell "more than 20 places" in this years index, the trend isn't one that can be sanely viewed as positive.
Then there is the FBI's massive expansion of the use of 'National Security Letters', as well as Enemy Non-Combatant Status..Ad infinitum...And I just pulled those links from this front page.
Sorry about that introduction. It was long and tiresome.
To the topic at hand..
Bloomberg is reporting on a textile importation limiting agreement between the US and China. It's no secret that I'm no fan of WTO policy, but the so-called 'free-traders' are only interested in free trade if they are reasonably assured to be able to leverage it into personal/corporate profits for themselves without too much political fallout. These are of course the very people that pushed for the establishment of the WTO and it's many adjunctive 'trade normalization' treaties and agreements.
The article merely points out what the US position regarding textile trade is with China, and some background as to how and why we arrived at the new agreement.
If you follow this sort of thing, there may be nothing new for you. But, if you need a primer on just how protectionist the US can be - while still espousing the overwhelming benefits of REALLY FREE TRADE™ - the article may pique your curiousity into a more in-depth study of the relevant topics.
Note: The off-site Little Lefty Resource Center will soon have a vast array of neo-liberal trade policy sources for future exploration.
Either Bush is truly prophetic, or it is through his administration's 'initiatives' that we US Americans are demonstrably less free than prior to his taking office.
Our 44th ranking in the annual "World Press Freedom Index" taken alone is a dumb figure, but since the US fell "more than 20 places" in this years index, the trend isn't one that can be sanely viewed as positive.
Then there is the FBI's massive expansion of the use of 'National Security Letters', as well as Enemy Non-Combatant Status..Ad infinitum...And I just pulled those links from this front page.
Sorry about that introduction. It was long and tiresome.
To the topic at hand..
Bloomberg is reporting on a textile importation limiting agreement between the US and China. It's no secret that I'm no fan of WTO policy, but the so-called 'free-traders' are only interested in free trade if they are reasonably assured to be able to leverage it into personal/corporate profits for themselves without too much political fallout. These are of course the very people that pushed for the establishment of the WTO and it's many adjunctive 'trade normalization' treaties and agreements.
The article merely points out what the US position regarding textile trade is with China, and some background as to how and why we arrived at the new agreement.
If you follow this sort of thing, there may be nothing new for you. But, if you need a primer on just how protectionist the US can be - while still espousing the overwhelming benefits of REALLY FREE TRADE™ - the article may pique your curiousity into a more in-depth study of the relevant topics.
Note: The off-site Little Lefty Resource Center will soon have a vast array of neo-liberal trade policy sources for future exploration.
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