Laura asks…
Why do we allow the importation of goods not made under the same labor and environmental rules and regulations?
we use ? How in the hell are we suppose to effectively compete?
this was actually a question that Unka Dano on another question asked and he got 7 thumbs up and zero thumbs down —
so it occurred to me that this might actually be an issue that most of us agree on — just wondering
The Expert answers:
Because if the US did not allow the importation of those products there would be many repercussions. The US would be in vioation of many international trade agreements. It would invite retaliatory tarriffs and/or empargoes. It would reduce the availibility of affordable products for the average American. It would the basically chase more companies out of the US.
Really, the question is why do we regulate and thus price ourselves out of effective competition?
Banning certain imports from certain countries is honestly an awful plan. I think a better plan would be to re-ignite the American Manufacturing Machine. Make the US the preferred destination for manufacturers through the use of technology, higher/better productivity, reasonable/rational labor agreements and reasonable/rational environmental regulations. Right now there are way too many hoops to jump through for many companies to want to set up shop or even keep their existing shops in the US.
Helen asks…
Who or what is Leadership U, is religion based, if so which one?
We have some friends that have been attending these weekly meetings with 400+ in attendence. Our friends can’t explain in any detail what exactly is being represented, just that they feel better; more positive. There are those who have been very successful selling something; again they’re not sure what.
I pulled up a website called Leadership U, and it seems to be
a Christian based organization with the main focus being on environmental issues. Our friends want us to attend a meeting with them, but I’m very skeptical and want to know more before I agree to go.
The Expert answers:
Yikes – I’d share your concern.
Susan asks…
did mexicans colonize or immigrate to the us?
Did the group face prejudice,
segregation, racism or any combination of the three? If so, how and why?
Was this group effected by or did it participate in any of the following forms of
discrimination? If so, describe:
• Dual labor market
Environmental justice issues
• Affirmative action
• Redlining
• Double jeopardy
• Institutional discrimination
• Reverse discrimination
• Glass ceiling, glass walls, or glass escalator
o Do you culturally identify more with the ethnic group you examined, with United
States mainstream culture, or with both equally?
The Expert answers:
Click the link below to read about the Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles in1943.
Ken asks…
How do we get people to distinguish between living with a heightened awareness and being fearfully paranoid?
Education is paramount when it comes to being able to fix the problems plaguing us in today’s world. However, environmental issues such as global warming, issues over the war in Iraq, terrorism, and problems regarding health and personal safety are difficult for people to evaluate without feeling the fear of what they know. The fear can even become the source of apathy. People often believe what you don’t know won’t hurt you, but it can. You must somehow develop the ability to distinguish between living with a heightened awareness of circumstances without becoming too afraid and paranoid as well as ensuring others don’t quickly call you paranoid because of what you know but they do not. But that doesn’t answer my question. How do we get people to distinguish between living with a heightened awareness and being fearfully paranoid?
The Expert answers:
The same way that we teach our children to be aware of people that they don’t know with out making them afraid to go out side.
You let them know what the dangers are you teach them things that will help give them some control and than you pray they never have to use them.
There isn’t much more that you can do but that. When my daughter’s were very small, I sat them down and explained to them about people who might mean them harm, I gave them a couple of things that would enable them to feel in some sort of control. I told that that they could say no to an adult if they felt uncomfortable with what the adult wanted them to do. I told them that they could yell an scream at an adult to enable them to get away. I also gave them a password that only they and I would know in case I had to send someone they weren’t expecting to pick them up from school and everyone even my father had to use the word if he didn’t they didn’t leave with him. This was to get them in the habit of using the word so that if it ever was some one they didn’t know well they would remember to ask for the word. This is the same sort of thing we have to do as a society be prepared and know what your options are and than pray that you never need to use it.
Paul asks…
A couple of environmental policy questions…?
Hi,
I am doing a research paper on current happenings in US environmental policy. I have come across a couple of things I am unsure about, and am searching for some help.
1.) An article talks about various possible energy sources, and then talks about “government subsidies”. What exactly is a government subsidy, particularly in relation to environmental policy?
2.) In many articles I have been reading, I have come across the fact that a possible solution to warming is capping greenhouse-gas emissions, issue tradable permits, and giving plants the right to sell their credits. However, I was under the impression that this is already standard practice. Am I thinking of something else, or about something similar? Because I truly thought this was currently going on currently in the US industries.
Thanks very much for any help provided.
The Expert answers:
1) government subsidies are when the government financial helps out something that it wants to promote. This can occur via tax breaks, or various other types of breaks. The way that this relates to environmental policy is that currently the government subsidizes fossil fuels like coal and oil making them cheaper and more competitive than they normally would be. In order to move to a more sustainable future these government subsidies must be shifted to green energy sources and taken away from fossil fuels.
2) We currently have SO2 cap and trade that was implemented to control acid rain. I’m not sure if this is what you mean by common practice. Currently we have no national CO2 cap and trade program, however, California has made agreements with Britain, and carbon capping is occurring in Europe (thank god).
I hope that this helps
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