Ralph,
The mad cow episode was understandable to a point, what was absolute rubbish was the contortions of Baucus, and his buddies from Montana, Wyoming etc., when the USDA lifted the ban with strict age limits on what could and couldn’t be imported. And yes, the BSE case was a very opportune instance to shut down the “free trade” across the Great Plains border.
Dear All,
My personal recollection of the book “Basic Economics” is that the author Thomas Sowell is of the opinion that the great depression was world wide, and was prolonged by (protectionist) import tariffs (followed by retaliatory import tariffs by the “victim” country on other goods, and on and on…).
Quote from mag article:
Free Trade vs. “Fair” Trade
By Larry Elder
FrontPageMagazine.com | Friday, August 09, 2002
In “Basic Economics: A Citizen’s Guide to the Economy,” economist Thomas Sowell says, “At any given time, a protective tariff or other import restriction may provide immediate relief to a particular industry and thus gain the financial and political support of corporations and labor unions in that industry. But, like many political benefits, it comes at the expense of others who may not be as organized, as visible, or as vocal. Economists have long blamed the international trade restrictions around the world for needlessly prolonging the worldwide depression of the 1930s. Economists, however, do not have many votes. Nor do many of the voters know much economics.”
(End of mag quote.)
The Sowell book should be required reading for any politician, political candidate or (inferred by the last sentence of the quote above) voter.
Sincerely,
Joe Satnik
Joe Satnik said:
Dear All,My personal recollection of the book “Basic Economics” is that the author Thomas Sowell is of the opinion that the great depression was world wide, and was prolonged by (protectionist) import tariffs (followed by retaliatory import tariffs by the “victim” country on other goods, and on and on…).
Quote from mag article:
Free Trade vs. “Fair” Trade
By Larry Elder
FrontPageMagazine.com | Friday, August 09, 2002In “Basic Economics: A Citizen’s Guide to the Economy,” economist Thomas Sowell says, “At any given time, a protective tariff or other import restriction may provide immediate relief to a particular industry and thus gain the financial and political support of corporations and labor unions in that industry. But, like many political benefits, it comes at the expense of others who may not be as organized, as visible, or as vocal. Economists have long blamed the international trade restrictions around the world for needlessly prolonging the worldwide depression of the 1930s. Economists, however, do not have many votes. Nor do many of the voters know much economics.”
(End of mag quote.)
Sincerely,Joe Satnik
HJ,
What about domestic content laws in Canada for radio and TV? Do you believe these to be fair? These laws created an entire industry in Canada where US programs are filmed in Canada so that they may also be shown in the Canadian market. These laws are neither fair or free. They restrict any US citizen’s ability to compete in the Canadian entertainment industry.
Ralph
Ralph,
Three questions:
Have you ever heard who controls the distribution that serves the Big Screen movie business here in the GWN?
Have you heard the hue and cry generated by Jack Valenti?
Does the term “cultural imperialism” mean anything to you?
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Ralph,Three questions:
Have you ever heard who controls the distribution that serves the Big Screen movie business here in the GWN?
Have you heard the hue and cry generated by Jack Valenti?
Does the term “cultural imperialism” mean anything to you?
Ralph Berg said:Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Ralph,Three questions:
Have you ever heard who controls the distribution that serves the Big Screen movie business here in the GWN?
Have you heard the hue and cry generated by Jack Valenti?
Does the term “cultural imperialism” mean anything to you?
HJ,
Why is it you always seem to answer a question by posing even more questions?
This is why I say you would make a great politician.
I ask about radio and small screen and in return I get a question referring to the big screen.
As for “cultural imperialism”…is this what is happening in Canada? Or are the Canadians “fighting” it through content laws?
Entertainment is a product. I would call restricting the Canadian radio market to 70% domestic content an unfair trade practice.
Ralph
It is a probing mechanism to find out if you actually know the connections or if more reading of background info is required. 
And you delivered, more reading required! 
But I’m always happy to steer people in the right direction - even more so if I don’t need to translate the content, eh!
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:Ralph Berg said:Very simple, Ralph.
HJ, Why is it you always seem to answer a question by posing even more questions? This is why I say you would make a great politician. I ask about radio and small screen and in return I get a question referring to the big screen. As for "cultural imperialism"........is this what is happening in Canada? Or are the Canadians "fighting" it through content laws? Entertainment is a product. I would call restricting the Canadian radio market to 70% domestic content an unfair trade practice. RalphIt is a probing mechanism to find out if you actually know the connections or if more reading of background info is required.
But I’m always happy to steer people in the right direction - even more so if I don’t need to translate the content, eh!
Taken from the web-site you provided:
“The secondary objective is an industrial one: to strengthen the Canadian music industry, including both the creative and production components.”
If it is OK for Canada to strengthen it’s music industry, why would it not be OK for the US to strengthen its softwood industry?
They are either both right, or both wrong.
Why we are on the subject of fair…what are my chances of getting a work visa in Canada? Or resident status?
You could come to the US and wash dishes or mow lawns on a work visa.
My chances of getting a work visa in Canada would be next to nothing…unless I have a skill in which there is a shortage.
Ralph
Ralph Berg said:
.............Taken from the web-site you provided:
“The secondary objective is an industrial one: to strengthen the Canadian music industry, including both the creative and production components.”If it is OK for Canada to strengthen it’s music industry, why would it not be OK for the US to strengthen its softwood industry?
They are either both right, or both wrong.Why we are on the subject of fair…what are my chances of getting a work visa in Canada? Or resident status?
You could come to the US and wash dishes or mow lawns on a work visa.
My chances of getting a work visa in Canada would be next to nothing…unless I have a skill in which there is a shortage.
Ralph
On the music, the cultural aspects/“industry” were specifically excluded from NAFTA.
OTOH softwood lumber is no different than oil and gas … errrrr … except you need the oil and gas a lot more than the wood.
Which brings up another wrinkle, the USA has no problem importing the softwood in form of raw logs. Kind of curious, isn’t it?
As far as getting a work permit, I have no idea what the criteria are today. All I know, back in 1968 it took exactly 6 weeks from application to getting the immigration approval.
HJ,
Myself, I believe both to be wrong…whether excluded from NAFTA or not.
But the point is…Canada has “protectionist” laws and policies of it’s own.
And we sure did wander a long way from Steve’s drilling for oil and alternative energy sources.
Ralph
Fun to watch, though.
Yeah well, outline a scenario that is not quite as expected i.e. lets put some real umph into the delivery and construction charges of the NG pipeline from Alaska and we are off and running. :lol:
Funny how that happens, eh.
And invariably the call comes for “real life” examples instead of the “wouldn’t that be something” scenario. But I’m happy to oblige, there are soooooo many examples.
?Que?
Is NAFTA interfering with your scale trees?
It’s not personal, it’s just business.
Or, we could always emulate Russia.
Let’s dust off 54-40 or Fight! :lol:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
No, NAFTA doesn’t interfer with the EMM trees.
Emulate the Russians? Hmmmm I thought the Russians were emulating NATO’s tactic vis à vis Serbia over the breakaway of Kosovo? Get in there before ethnic cleansing does too much harm.
I’m always amazed how much that shoe seems to pinch when it’s on the other foot and how short people’s selective memories are.
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:Yep.
I'm always amazed how much that shoe seems to pinch when it's on the other foot and how short people's selective memories are.
The ratio of American to Soviet deaths in WWII was roughly 1:40.
We don’t have to like the Russians or their government, but a blind man can see why they’re touchy.