Replies to post #4691 on The board room

[fuagf]

You know the inevitable mix and match .. my position on capitalism
socialism mix inevitable .. rights vs security .. balances

Crean backs warnings on protectionism
January 29, 2009

Trade Minister Simon Crean has backed warnings raised at the World Economic Forum (WEF)
in Switzerland about the threat new trade barriers could pose amid the global financial crisis.

Crean flew into Zurich late on Wednesday local time (early Thursday AEDT) as 2,500
business leaders and politicians began talks in the nearby Swiss Alps ski resort
of Davos on how to solve the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

He and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard , who is due to arrive in Davos on
Thursday, have replaced Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan
at the talks while they remain on home soil to concentrate on Australia's economic problems.

As talks got underway in Davos on Wednesday, media mogul and News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch and Russian
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin both warned against moves by some countries to increase protectionism.

Crean said he hoped the WEF would instead show how committed world trade ministers were to free trade.

"There are worrying signs of rising protectionism, such as the European Commission's
decision to re-introduce dairy subsidies," he said through a spokesman.

"Reverting to protectionism will not save jobs.

"This is a global problem, it needs a global solution."

Earlier, Putin, who described the economic crisis as a "perfect storm", said succumbing to
"isolationism and unrestrained economic egotism" by creating new trade barriers was not a solution.

"Although additional protectionism will prove inevitable during the crisis,
all of us must display a sense of proportion," he said in a keynote address.

"Excessive intervention in economic activity and blind faith in the state's omnipotence is another possible mistake.

"The extent of the recession and its scale will largely depend on specific high-precision measures, due
to be charted by governments and business communities and on our coordinated and professional efforts."

At a press conference, Murdoch said protectionism would only
hurt the development of a more sustainable model of capitalism.

"Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth," he said.

"It is open markets, it is capitalism".

Murdoch also summed up the mood at this year's WEF, saying people around the world were "depressed and
traumatised" by how the economic turmoil had eroded the value of their hard-earned savings and investments.

"The crisis is getting worse," he said.

"It's going to take drastic action to turn it around, if it can be turned around quickly.

"Personally, I believe it will take some time."

Crean will begin a series of meetings with trade ministers from around the world in Davos on Thursday.

High on his agenda are discussions with South Korean officials about signing a possible free
trade agreement and talks with European trade commissioner Catherine Ashton about
Australia's concerns with the European Union's plan to reintroduce dairy subsidies.

He will also join trade ministers for an informal discussion about the long-running Doha trade talks on Saturday.

Gillard was due to arrive in Davos on Thursday and attend a reception
for Australian delegates among the record crowd at the five-day WEF.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/5288454/crean-backs-warnings-protectionism/

[eaglesurvivor]

fuagf: protectionism is one of those buzz words utilized to form groupthink opinion and demonize opponents. When the shroud of words of art are removed, one finds, that what is objected to and by whom, is reciprocating tariffs, for example. Well, what's wrong with that? The value added is fair and across the board. But such things do not cater to the monopolies that have been formed throughout the years. "Free Trade" is a deliberate oxymoron, while true free trade exists under what is labelled protectionism.

We have witnessed, for decades, the unbridled greed resulting in harm to native businesses and native consumers, as well as the exploitation of workers in often slave conditions. The decline in the use of tariffs and levies occurred after the passage of The Federal Reserve Act and the guise of personal income tax.

It's so risible to hear the likes of Drug Rush Limp Wrist rail against "protectionism." He gets to pay less for his ED drugs and plethora of pill popping, but facilitates nonAmerican manufacturing. What's the replacement? It's welfare workers and additions to The Medical Industrial Complex. He doesn't rail against their protectionism monopoly preventing alternative health treatments. Maybe, that explains why elitists go to foreign nations for health care.

The reality is that poor nations utilize reciprocating tariffs, etc against wealthy nations to protect its people against exploitation. The factories that come into these nations are NOT natively owned. It's a gross sell out. That's the take, take, take. Under native "protectionism," native craftsfolk create a different industry and eventually their different goods are traded for different goods. This has much greater benefit to the developing nations. It recently worked in a number of African nations, until outsiders became their insiders and raped them across the board. The sell of the "short-term fix" results in the need for a "daily fix."

So just what exactly does Australia import from, say, Mozambique? Hmmm, I thought so. Julia Gillard can stuff it up her nose.

[wall_rus]

Really empty words, don't you think?

"We need to stimulate our economies in a way that will make us stronger and better able to withstand future challenges.

"We need to stimulate our economies in a way that will increase productivity and build a greener world.

"We need to rebuild trust in our institutions and confidence in our economies."