My friend wrote this and I thought "what's the harm?" and posted it. Nonsense away!
Big Dave's Speech
Free Trade
In 1936, Franklin Roosevelt said, “The welfare and
prosperity of each of our Nations depends… on the
benefits derived from commerce among ourselves and
other Nations… Every country in the world has felt the
evil effects of… trade barriers.”

Sixty-six years have passed, but still there are
people in opposition to free trade. Today I am going
to convince you that trade protectionism is hurting
our economy and that free trade is the answer.

The concept of Free Trade is so simple it ought to be
obvious that it is the economic policy for our
country.
All it involves is the removal of the tariffs and
trade barriers between ours and other countries.

By leveling the playing field, we will then not only
be allowing our own economy to take its natural (and
healthy!) course, but it will also be giving many
third world countries an opportunity to expand their
markets.

Many people, including the ever popular George Bush
Jr., embrace the policy of protectionism over free
trade, in which taxes are levied against imports being
brought into the USA.

Those in support of Protectionism say that it defends
the jobs of American workers, since it attempts to
force us into buying from our own country, but in
reality we all suffer because of it.
Take this for example: Economics in America reports
that, in 1983 we restricted about $55 million cotton
blouses coming from china, so China retaliated by
canceling $500 million dollars worth of orders for
American grain. (page 125)
Obviously, it isn’t worth it.

It is a fallacy to believe that America will prosper
from not trading with her neighbors. In-fact it is our
natural inclination to do so. There is always a demand
for foreign goods, but since our government taxes them
so highly, they rise in price dramatically.

Free Trade is beneficial to us even if the countries
with which we trade maintain their tariffs. The reason
for this is because the government keeps the prices
unnaturally high through its taxes, but if you
subscribe to free trade, the prices will drop
dramatically, regardless of the tariffs other nations
impose.

Take steel for an example: By keeping the price of
foreign steel high, we force everyone in our country
to buy American steel, and even though we are then
protecting American Jobs, the prices are higher than
need be. Now, if you drop all our tariffs and buy
foreign steel at the going price instead, the prices
of everything which we buy which is made out of steel
will drop. This would be beneficial for us all around.

Regrettably, Bush has opted to go for the over priced
steel from our country.

Fortunately, there are some policies, which enact free
trade. For example, there is the much debated North
American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. In this
agreement, tariffs and other forms of protectionism
are removed between the US and Mexico.

Now, as those who oppose NAFTA say that Mexico will be
hurting us since we wont have the taxes on their goods
that we do on those from other countries, But taking
into account that Mexico’s market and Labor pool is 4%
the size of that of the US, they can’t really harm or
benefit us.
(www.public.iastate.edu)

All this is, is being fair. Before, Mexico was
suffering, as it was harder for them to find a market
for their exports in the US because of the high taxes.
Now they have an opportunity to grow thanks to us.

If only this sort of policy could be more widely
exercised.

I trust that each of you is now aware of the issue of
protectionism that confronts our country, and I hope
that I have convinced you all of what is obviously the
best course of action for America, Free Trade.
So, just remember in the future when you vote for a
president, to check first where he stands on free
trade.