In this 11th hour of the Democratic nomination process, Edwards may
be making himself LESS ELECTABLE by his anti-free trade rhetoric.
Consider:
Free Trade is now well established in the global economy.
And saddly, it is probably too late to: BRING THE FACTORIES BACK TO
AMERICA, as Edwards and others propose.
Why?
To reverse 20 years of free trade policy would simply be A SHOCK TO
THE GLOBAL TRADING SYSTEM that could be dangerous.
Perhaps what needs to be done is to give the American workforce the
government backed subsidies that other global workers already have;
In Euroland, Canada, Australia and elsewhere in the civilized
industrialized world.
FOR EXAMPLE, A GOOD NATIONAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM IS KEY.
AND, A SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM THAT PROTECTS PEOPLE, BUT WITHOUT
ENCOURAGING DEPENDANCY.
One thing we learned in the 70's is that if you pay people to have
lots of illegitimate children, THEY WILL DO IT!
BACK THEN, DEPENDANCY PAID! AND, IT WAS REALLY A WAY OF LIFE FOR
MANY.
That mistake should be avoided this time around!
Last, perhaps, retirement pensions should be means tested.
To wit: Anyone with a good income in retirement doesn't need another
check from the government.
NET-NET, I FEAR THAT A PRESIDENT THAT IS AVIDLY AND OPENLY ANTI-FREE
TRADE COULD UPSET THE APPLE-CART IN WAYS WE CAN NOT YET PREDICT.
I FEAR THAT THE FACTORIES WON'T REALLY "COME BACK."
BUT THAT THE GLOBAL ECONOMY COULD BE SEND INTO A DANGEROUS PANIC MODE.
LIKE AN ADDICT BEING WITHDRAWN FROM HIS "DRUG" OF CHOICE;
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY NEEDS TO BE WEENED OFF "FREE TRADE" A LITTLE BIT
AT A TIME.
KERRY'S "BORING" SENATORIAL STYLE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PULL THIS OFF
BETTER THAN SOMEONE, LIKE DEAN OR EDWARDS, WHO RELY ON "POPULIST"
RHETORIC AND STREET SLOGANS THAT MIGHT BE "DISRUPTIVE" TO THE SYSTEM.
SOLVE THE TRADE PROBLEM? YES! EVENTUALLY......
BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST;
DO NO HARM!
In other words, we don't want the operation to be a success, but the
patient died!
