If you think DR-CAFTA is a bad idea...

[RHM]

I know the news is still relatively new, but I am curious as to why those who are 100% against Free Trade and DR-CAFTA have not sounded off yet about Taiwan.

It seems that Leonel has already started the process to signing a bilateral free trade agreement with Taiwan. If you think that the evil gringos will be dangerous for the DR economy...just wait until one of the "Asian Tigers" rips their claws into the place. They didn't get that nickname for being lambs.

Does anybody care to weigh in? Release the hounds!

Or is it just not as much fun as bashing the evil empire?

Honestly, the US has to at least have a sliver of care for the DR because they share the same hemisphere and basically live in the same neighborhood. Then again...that never helped Haiti...let's blame the French for that one .

Do you think the Taiwanese, with 1 billion screaming Chinamen breathing down their necks, will be the same?

I look forward to being thrilled by the analysis of my fellow "armchair economists".

Scandall

[cobraboy]

Free trade is good.

[Squat]

Free trade is good when it is really free : what we have today is a heavily subsidized US agriculture vs a non-subsidized dominican agriculture. This is not free in my book, this is unfair, this is cheating, or more, I would say, this is a very cynical way to destroy the dominican agriculture.

I am not an expert on Taiwan, so I haven't commented on that free-trade, but I would be interested to learn about the reality of this nation.

I'll be open to Free trade whenever no one is subsidized (or both subsidized at the same level...)

[drtampa]

They say that it is too soon for Tiawan with the CAFTA having many unknowns.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Squat

I'll be open to Free trade whenever no one is subsidized (or both subsidized at the same level...)

I concur.

My opinion on a FTA with Taiwan? It is just a door opener to get Taiwanese goods close to the US and easy to import under a set of rules already agreed to.

The FTA milieu is a wonderful playing ground for our current administration. Whatever they agree with the 'evil empire', they simply turn around and offer to someone else like Taiwan. Brilliant strategy! Will it work? Not for the country as a whole, but for themselves, nicely done.

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by Squat

Free trade is good when it is really free : what we have today is a heavily subsidized US agriculture vs a non-subsidized dominican agriculture. This is not free in my book, this is unfair, this is cheating, or more, I would say, this is a very cynical way to destroy the dominican agriculture.

I am not an expert on Taiwan, so I haven't commented on that free-trade, but I would be interested to learn about the reality of this nation.

I'll be open to Free trade whenever no one is subsidized (or both subsidized at the same level...)

Then let's do away with the Free Trade Zones and see how that affects the Dominican economy.

100% "free trade" anywhere is a pipe dream by your definition. Isn't fuel subsidized by the DR gov't? Then industries that use it aren't "free" either. Maybe the proper terminology is "Duty Free"...

I'm picking nits, but the Big Picture had Free Trade working better for 3rd World countries than the Big Bad US. Remember how accurate Ross Perot's "giant sucking sound". He was right.

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by Chris

I concur.

My opinion on a FTA with Taiwan? It is just a door opener to get Taiwanese goods close to the US and easy to import under a set of rules already agreed to.

The FTA milieu is a wonderful playing ground for our current administration. Whatever they agree with the 'evil empire', they simply turn around and offer to someone else like Taiwan. Brilliant strategy! Will it work? Not for the country as a whole, but for themselves, nicely done.

Huh?

What on earth are you talking about?

You think it's a giant conspiracy?

Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie

[batich]

Originally Posted by cobraboy

Free trade is good.

Good FOR WHOM?

There is not such thing in the world that is good FOR EVERYONE

Usually if something is good for the rich and for big corporations it is bad for poor and middle class.

For DR free trade will bring only overdevelopment, deterioration of living standards, environmental pollution, chinese type "sweat shops" and sweet dreams about "good old times". Just ask anybody who ever worked under a chinese manager or owner.

DR is not the first country to be subject to globalization monster. Unfortunatelly the result is always the same and unfortunatelly none of us can do nothing to stop it , or to delay. At least until our death.

It is only my personal HO. From observing other "third world" countries in the similar situation.

Those who have a different opinion please do not be mad at me personally!

Regarding Taiwan and China , the only thing they need uregently - comfortable living space. For their billions population.

Just 100 million chinese moving to this island , and those who support free trade and globalization will say very differently.

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by batich

Usually if something is good for the rich and for big corporations it is bad for poor and middle class.

You assume economics is a "zero sum" game. The positive economic growth tide raises everybody's boat.

Originally Posted by batich

For DR free trade will bring only overdevelopment, deterioration of living standards, environmental pollution, chinese type "sweat shops" and sweet dreams about "good old times". Just ask anybody who ever worked under a chinese manager or owner.

How can development erode living standards? I thought one thing the DR needed was jobs, seeing how much unemployment exists. And aren't there already existing Labor Laws in the DR that would preclude "sweat shops"?

And what does Chinese management have to do with the DR? Isn't that a semi-racist comment?

Originally Posted by batich

Regarding Taiwan and China , the only thing they need uregently - comfortable living space. For their billions population.

Taiwan, yes. China, absolutely not.

What China could use is what Taiwan has: a working democracy.

Look how much of the DR is based on cheap Chinese stuff. You don't think it's not "subsidized"?

[Chris]

Originally Posted by cobraboy

You think it's a giant conspiracy?

No, but a very clever move.