It's not even about the loss of manufacturing job, but the greater picture reflects a decrease in US sovereignty and increased colonization.
I keep hearing 'but Bush II,' when the horse was already long out of the barn after Bush I and especially Clinton. I guess 'but Clinton' doesn't have as nice a ring to it. To me, they're all equally criminal.
Nice site with some decent articles, at least more perceptive than the mainstream press.
http://economyincrisis.org/wto
The WTO Now Controls Our Economy, Fate and Future
The World Trade Organization is a self serving and undemocratic organization that operates outside of our control. The U.S. Constitution states that all treaties made under the authority of the United States become supreme law of the land (Article VI). When our government stymied under pressure from foreign-represented lobbyists and signed the WTO treaty our government effectively weakened our sovereignty.
Our laws, regulations and administrative procedures are now open to challenge.
Since entering the WTO in 2001, trade with China has resulted in the loss of 2.8 million jobs through 2010, according to the most recent study by the Economic Policy Institute. Those fortunate enough to retain their jobs witnessed their annual earnings decrease by roughly $1,400. American workers are put in direct competition with one another as more and more employers look to offshore production to nations with lower wage rates.
Jobs losses have affected every sector of the economy in both white and blue-collar occupations. Over that time we have lost:
909,400 jobs in computer and electronic products
178,700 jobs in apparel and accessories
204,300 jobs in administrative support services
173,100 jobs in professional, scientific and technical services
These job losses can be directly attributed to China’s rapidly growing trade surplus with us maintained by the systematic manipulation of the Chinese yuan.
By purposely undervaluing their currency, China subsidizes their exports – some estimates put this subsidy at nearly 30 percent. This practice has allowed America’s trade deficit with China to balloon since China entered into the WTO. In 2001, when China joined the WTO, they held a small trade surplus of $84 billion with us. By 2010, that number had grown exponentially to $278 billion, growing over $21 billion per year on average.
With the U.S-China trade deficit exploding, more job losses are forecast in the future. The Progressive Policy Institute claims that unless the trade deficit is brought under control, 12 million information-based jobs in the U.S. are highly susceptible in the future. This can be seen today in what some are calling the jobless “recovery.” Without jobs, there can be no recovery.
Beyond the quantifiable numbers of economic hardship here in America, the WTO is inherently wrong for other reasons. The organization remains indifferent to issues of workers rights, child labor and environmental protection standards.
The organization has little to no transparency as all of its hearings are closed to the public. It is no wonder then that we lose nine out of every 10 trade disputes brought before the body.
The WTO has come to represent the most efficient form of colonization the world has ever seen – reaping all the benefits with no downsides of occupation. The corporate agenda of the organization has destroyed the developing economies of the world, exploiting cheap resources and giving them little in return.
We must renegotiate terms or completely withdraw from the WTO – immediately!
Amen! (added by me) And again, one has to wonder, why the US gave up so much power and sovereignty for $o little in return? Isn't anyone even the least bit curious?