| FAIR TRADE |
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Definition: To market (a commodity) in compliance with the provisions of a fair-trade agreement. |
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DEMOCRATIC PARTY – Definition – Example – Rationale – |
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American trade deals have too often boosted the profits of large corporations, while at the same time failing to protect workers’ rights, labor standards, the environment, and public health. Americans should review agreements negotiated years ago to update them to reflect our principles. Any future trade agreements must make sure that our trading partners cannot undercut American workers by taking shortcuts on labor policy or the environment. Of course, individuals within the party have differing views on how to accomplish the values of the party: Democratic primary debate in New Hampshire, Feb 4, 2016 Bernie Sanders: “I do not believe in unfettered free trade. I believe in fair trade which works for the middle class and working families, not just large multinational corporations.” Democrats tend to feel that the term “fair trade” is a fallacy; trade, as it exists now, is unfair. Most democrats support organizations such as the World Fair Trade Organization that argues, “Fair trade is an institutional arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions. Members of the fair trade movement advocate the payment of higher prices to exporters, as well as improved social and environmental standards.” Democrats tend to be skeptical about trade deals because many American trading partners have previously had unfair wage, labor and environmental practices. Democrats want to protect American jobs and manufacturing and they argue that the currency manipulations and subsidies other countries offer to their own businesses hurt the American economy. Future trade agreements must make sure that our trading partners cannot undercut American workers by taking shortcuts on labor policy or the environment. |
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REPUBLICAN PARTY – Definition – Example – Rationale – |
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Republicans believe in preserving a strong trade position for America and building America’s position to the point that it can dominate international trade. They propose to do this by: Revitalizing the World Trade Organization negotiations on agriculture and services, giving the president fast-track negotiating authority, negotiating reductions in tariffs on U.S. industrial goods and the elimination of other trade barriers, taking action against any trading partner that blocks importation of U.S. bioengineered crops, advancing a Free Trade Area of the Americas to take advantage of burgeoning new markets at our doorstep, and revising export controls to tighten control over military technology and ease restrictions on technology already available commercially. From the Republican Party 2016 Preamble written by the American Presidency Project at UC Santa Barbara: We need better negotiated trade agreements that put America first. When trade agreements have been carefully negotiated with friendly democracies, they have resulted in millions of new jobs here at home supported by our exports. When those agreements do not adequately protect U.S. interests, U.S. sovereignty, or when they are violated with impunity, they must be rejected. We cannot allow foreign governments to limit American access to their markets while stealing our designs, patents, brands, know-how, and technology. We cannot allow China to continue its currency manipulation, exclusion of U.S. products from government purchases, and subsidization of Chinese companies to thwart American imports. Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.) about 2017 tax cuts: “Very pro-growth, supply-side tax reform,” Toomey said. “It was the classic elements of what we’ve always wanted to do: reduce the number of distortions, lower marginal rates, have a more competitive international system.” From the Washington Post, Feb 6, 2021: For the past decade, Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.) has preached the gospel of supply-side economics, winning plenty of debates at Tuesday GOP policy luncheons. But over time, Toomey has become more and more isolated, a transformation that accelerated during the four years of Donald Trump’s “America First” presidency. The new generation of senators tends to follow Trump’s populist policies of trade wars and big spending, leaving Toomey with a smaller audience for his catchphrases about “slowing the rate of growth” of entitlement programs that are growing “faster than nominal GDP.” TO BE CONTINUED . . . . |
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GREEN PARTY – Definition – Example – Rationale – |
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