Justice?

[randolph]

Originally Posted by smc

It is simply my way of stating that the false moral equivalence so often proposed by some (e.g., invading Iraq on a lie or getting a blowjob from a White House interns as having some sort of moral equivalence in the pantheon of presidential behavior) should more correctly and accurately be called moral inequivalence.

In other words, the false moral equivalence established in arguments reveals moral inequivalence.

It would appear that since WWII our foreign policy has been to a great extent been based on, as you say "moral inequivalance".
Justice continues to take a back seat. For example, the recent trade agreement with Columbia favors our multinational corporations instead of the local farmers of Columbia.
NAFTA was a moral disaster causing severe disruption in Mexico and consequent migration of dispossessed farmers to the US.

[Enoch Root]

Does the US have a tendency to destroy the agricultural capacities of other countries? This is the second time I've read of this on this forum.

I've been told of a crazy story about Monsanto screwing over small American farmers. Monsanto genetically engineered a strain of corn. This corn bred with the corn from small farmers. Except the farmers didn't pollinate their corn with Monsanto's genetically engineered brand. It just happened as these things happen in nature. Monsanto sued the small farmers for theft of some kind and won.

[smc]

Originally Posted by randolph

It would appear that since WWII our foreign policy has been to a great extent been based on, as you say "moral inequivalance".
Justice continues to take a back seat. For example, the recent trade agreement with Columbia favors our multinational corporations instead of the local farmers of Columbia.
NAFTA was a moral disaster causing severe disruption in Mexico and consequent migration of dispossessed farmers to the US.

And this surprises you? Capitalism is, by its very nature, unjust. Why, then, would a capitalist trade agreement largely imposed by a powerful capitalist nation on smaller nations as a condition of their ability to participate in the worldwide capitalist market be anything but unjust?

[randolph]

Originally Posted by smc

And this surprises you? Capitalism is, by its very nature, unjust. Why, then, would a capitalist trade agreement largely imposed by a powerful capitalist nation on smaller nations as a condition of their ability to participate in the worldwide capitalist market be anything but unjust?

It doesn't really surprise me, it's been going on for a long time ( banana episode in Guatemala). What I find encouraging is that developing countries like Brazil are becoming resistant to it and telling us to shove it, ie WTO and it's hegemony adjenda.

I had some hope that the Obama administration would take a more considerate and just approach to trade negotiations with Latin American countries, but such is not the case.

[Enoch Root]

Except in Brazil it's the same case as in the US: a small elite control everything and exploit everyone.

[randolph]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Except in Brazil it's the same case: a small elite control everything and exploit everyone.

We subsidize the production of corn based alcohol and have substantial tariffs on importing Brazil's alcohol.
The subsidy has caused food corn, prices to soar around the world causing severe stress in poor countries where food costs take much of their income.

[smc]

Originally Posted by randolph

It doesn't really surprise me, it's been going on for a long time ( banana episode in Guatemala). What I find encouraging is that developing countries like Brazil are becoming resistant to it and telling us to shove it, ie WTO and it's hegemony adjenda.

I had some hope that the Obama administration would take a more considerate and just approach to trade negotiations with Latin American countries, but such is not the case.

The sooner those who support true economic justice realize that the Democrats and Republicans are simply flipsides of the same coin, serving the same masters with slightly different approaches, the sooner such "hope" will be relegated to the dustbin of history where it belongs, to be replaced by profound understanding that spurs action.