Free Trading Away America's Heartland

A drive across the country is a lot of things - long, sometimes monotonous, sometimes beautiful, but above all, a glimpse into how our government's free trade policies have affected the heartland. Sure, we saw some benefits of that trade policy like the Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana, but those examples were far outweighed by all of the abandoned factories and mills that dot the landscape. Many of the towns we passed through were trying to make due by promoting their local historical museums, fast food chains, and motel strips (The Holiday Inn Express in Salina, Kansas is pretty nice). But it was clear that these towns' new efforts to attract tourists don't come close to replacing the better-paying jobs that have been exported overseas.

And make no mistake about it - we were reminded of our government's sellout free trade policy in all sorts of manners. Just two days ago, my brothers gave us an REI gift certificate for snowshoes for our wedding. We went to the gingantic REI in Denver and tried on many pairs, and I almost bought a pair of Tubbs snowshoes. Now today we found out in today's Boston Globe cover story that Tubbs is just the latest company that is shipping its operations overseas to China.

It would be easy only to blame the company - but as the article notes, its a product of a free trade policy that provides a financial incentive for American companies to troll the world for the cheapest labor - regardless of the social costs here at home. You see, firms such as Tubbs have to match "competitors already outsourcing to China and [m]ove there themselves to match labor and other costs." As the article notes, many of the workers who will lose their jobs don't blame company management because they understand the company needs to compete. Who should they blame? Politicians in BOTH parties who continue to push this free trade policy, even as it decimates the American heartland. Maybe that's why its time for Washington to seriously consider the current bipartisan legislation to repeal the China free trade deal, and renegotiate the pact on terms more fair to American workers...

Da Vinci Code in Lousiana

Just got to Montana after a long, 2500 mile ride over the last few days. In my email box was this article in the Baton Rouge Advocate dissecting my earlier "Democrats' Da Vinci Code" article from the American Prospect. Louisiana is a great example of how Democrats lost so many of the "red states" - and how they can get them back.

More when I get settled in Helena...

Class Action Sellouts

Eighteen Democrats this week voted with all Republicans to restrict Americans rights to collectively file class action lawsuits. Now, I understand the Republicans voting for this - they make little effort to hide the fact that they are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Corporate America.

But 18 Democrats? This is a complete betrayal of the party of the middle class. Under the guise of "legal reform," this bill is nothing more than a way to protect abusive corporations from cleaning up their acts. As Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) said in voting against this bill, “it limits corporate accountability at a time of rampant corporate scandals” and is is “one of the most unfair, anticonsumer proposals to come before the Senate in years.” If you've ever seen movies like "The Insider," "A Civil Action" or "Erin Brockovich" you know that Reid is right: often-times class actions are the only way to reign in huge companies - especially now, when so much of our politicians are bought and paid for by Big Business.

I was especially disappointed in Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), who voted for the bill. Most of the Democrats voting for the bill were the typical sellouts like Evan Bayh and Joe Lieberman, who have made long careers out of sucking up to Corporate America. But Obama, who was a civil rights lawyer, is supposed to be different. The excitement surrounding his election was, in part, due to the fact that people expected him to be a leading progressive voice for economic justice. This vote, so early in his Senate career (his ninth vote, to be exact), puts all that hype into question - and that doesn't even mention that his second vote ever was to confirm Condoleezza Rice for Secretary of State. Let's hope he soon realizes the error of his ways.

For more on the vote, see this entry at Daily Kos.