The problem is the Dems aren't cleaning up the fucking mess the Republicans made fast enough.

Sheesh, thefadd, haven't you been following along here?

Honestly, who the fuck gives a shit about the Democrats or Republicans when people are about to lose their jobs? Your absurd partisan sarcasm is representative of the problem with Democrats.

Honestly, just about everyone gives a fuck about Democrats and Republicans when people are about to lose their jobs because it's a fucking election year.  Your absurd inability to reflect that the shit-hole you're currently mired in is because of GOP mismanagement is representative of the problems with Republicans.

Your absurd inability to reflect that the shit-hole you're currently mired in is because of GOP mismanagement...

...is representative of the problems with Republicans

Are you serious? I mean, are you seriously that stupid?

You said sales went up. I'm trying to understand the rest of your argument. If I sold tractors to Colombia I'd want tractor sale tariffs reduced, too. But guess what? I don't sell tractors to Colombia so my economic outlook could give a crap. Like I said, sales went up, why are you bitching? Sales are up but profits aren't up enough because of tariffs that have been in place as long as Caterpillar's been in business? Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines. They've been around for 83 years. If they can't compete in a capitalist society without a change in the laws Right Now Wa Wa Wa, I really don't see why I should get out of bed for it.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

I don't sell tractors to Colombia so my economic outlook could give a crap

Like I said, sales went up, why are you bitching?

Sales are up but profits aren't up enough because of tariffs that have been in place as long as Caterpillar's been in business?

That's a large leap to assume that Caterpillar will pass those good times along to laborers. But still, you're correct in that I personally don't think it's all that imperative that the economy be "turned around" right now since unemployment rates remain amazingly low from an historical perspective and doing away with a generations old trade system seems like a rash answer.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

That's a large leap to assume that Caterpillar will pass those good times along to laborers

...doing away with a generations old trade system seems like a rash answer

I'm not familiar enough with Caterpillar's production capacity to make that assumption. There are numerous ways a modern manufacturing outfit can increase its output without putting pressure on its labor costs.

Opposing free trade for reasons of tradition seems like an odd position to take, but whatever.

Yes, the ability of the American economic system to bring greater prosperity to workers than any other system on earth since WWII is nothing but a silly tradition that needs to be dispensed with immediately in the name of globalization.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

There are numerous ways a modern manufacturing outfit can increase its output without putting pressure on its labor costs

Yes, the ability of the American economic system to bring greater prosperity to workers than any other system on earth since WWII is nothing but a silly tradition that needs to be dispensed with immediately in the name of globalization

Not in the short term there aren't. If Caterpillar got additional orders from Colombia this year they'd have to run their assembly lines longer, meaning overtime pay or new hiring.

Once again, that's a vastly broad assumption. You have no idea whether or not every American company that would benefit from a free trade agreement with Colombia is operating at full production capacity.

Please explain how tariffs in foreign countries contributed to American prosperity.

Why? Because trade agreements only go one direction in your myopic world view?

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

Why? Because trade agreements only go one direction in your myopic world view?

No, I have no idea. Why don't you enlighten me.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot-Hawley_Tariff_Act

I'll ask you the same question you asked me: what does that have to do with tariffs imposed by foreign countries?

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

1. Increasing tariffs is bad for the economies affected.

2. Decreasing tariffs is good for the economies affected.

So, this is Columbia's tariff not ours...and we're asking them to take down the tariff.  Ok, what does Columbia get from this?

I can't argue with your logic...but I can recommend a good therapist

As blanket statements, you're simply wrong. Only the most liberalized economic thinkers would subscribe to such a broad brush analysis of world markets and there are very, very few economists who hold such an extreme view, let alone politicians--be they Democrats or Republicans.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

As blanket statements, you're simply wrong. Only the most liberalized economic thinkers would subscribe to such a broad brush analysis of world markets and there are very, very few economists who hold such an extreme view

The literature analysing the economics of free trade is extremely rich with extensive work having been done on the theoretical and empirical effects. Though it creates winners and losers, the broad consensus among members of the economics profession in the U.S. is that free trade is a large and unambiguous net gain for society. In a 2006 survey of American economists (83 responders), "87.5% agree that the U.S. should eliminate remaining tariffs and other barriers to trade" and "90.1% disagree with the suggestion that the U.S. should restrict employers from outsourcing work to foreign countries." Quoting Harvard economics professor N. Gregory Mankiw, "Few propositions command as much consensus among professional economists as that open world trade increases economic growth and raises living standards."

Too bad you misquoted that entire page and also left out the part about, "This neoclassical trade theory focuses on one dimension, i.e., the price at which a commodity can be delivered and is extremely narrow in cutting off a large number of other considerations about impacts on employment in different parts of the world, about environmental impacts and on culture."

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

That was not a misquote, and the part you cited is the opinion of one economist who dissents from what is clearly the majority view.

I think the "Neutrality of this article is disputed" tag at the top of the page says all that needs to be said about the wikiality of your myopic view. Please take the time to respond to this post so that you can get the last word in.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

Please take the time to respond to this post so that you can get the last word in

Why not?

I can't argue with your logic...but I can recommend a good therapist

But of course, we both know that it goes beyond petulance.  Our Muscular President continues to act by decree.  I guarantee you that if were turned around a republican legislature would be screen bloody murder