UN Flunks Economics Again

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by DanS
He's thinking Sanofi. Honest mistake.

Protectionist accusations are never honest. They are always done by people thirsting for money, generally Americans.

[DanS]

Do you have anything worthwhile to add to this discussion?

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Does the US government not undertake some activity in certain industries under the umbrella of 'national interest'?

[Adam Smith]

Davout:

UNESCO is the latest in a long series.
The agricultural argument is current, relevant, and significant.

NYE:
No policies that I can think of aside from export controls in sensitive (military) technologies, and maintaining sufficient capacity in defense industries.

[notyoueither]

sufficient capacity in defense industries...

Yes. I can understand that.

Why can so many Americans not understand others wanting to maintain sufficient capacity in cultural industries to maintain the local culture?

Perhaps we define 'defence' differently.

[Adam Smith]

The capability of defense is a necessity.
The type of culture is a choice.

[notyoueither]

Now why am I not surprised a Yank would say that.

You honestly cannot see that people would regard the preservation of their own culture as a necessity?

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by Adam Smith
Davout:

The agricultural argument is current, relevant, and significant.

Do you mean that US farmers are not protected in one way or the other?

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by notyoueither
You honestly cannot see that people would regard the preservation of their own culture as a necessity?

Incidently, the preservation of local culture is to make it possible for people to make a choice.

Canada is a perfect example of this. CanCon has been around since the thirties. Coincidently, that is near the beginning of broadcasting.

You can hardly say that we have been deprived of choices of American culture. In fact, we are inundated by it.

At the same time, regulations have ensured that Canadian voices will be represented on all broadcast networks. So we listen to Art Garfunkel, and Gordon Lightfoot. We are richer for the both of them, and CanCon helps ensure the future of Gordon Lightfoots for both us and Yanks.

[Adam Smith]

NYE:

There are many different forms, manifestations, and influences on culture. All of these factors change over time. (Perhaps this is more apparent to a nation of immigarnts, such as America.) My decision to visit a museum, listen to a concert, or watch a foreign film instead of sitting at home with Fox TV helps define American culture. Why can't people choose what they like and make of culture what they wish?

edit:
More to the point, why to Gordon Lightfoot, Art Garfunkel, or their successors need protecting? There's plenty of people willing to hear a good folk singer. The French nature movie March of the Penguins did a great box office here (we've seen it twice). And I was rather convinced by Rufus' argument that specialization allowed the French cinema to improve.


Davout:

US and other producers have offered significant concessions. Pretty much all parties agree that the EU (prompted by France) is the holdup in the current round of agricultural talks. Please see the BBC Business article in one of my earlier posts.

[Drake Tungsten]

What about the 147 other nations?

The same goes for them, as well.

You honestly cannot see that people would regard the preservation of their own culture as a necessity?

I personally don't understand such a stance coming from Canada. What culture do you have to protect? You're American already in everything but name...

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by Adam Smith

Davout:

US and other producers have offered significant concessions. Pretty much all parties agree that the EU (prompted by France) is the holdup in the current round of agricultural talks. Please see the BBC Business article in one of my earlier posts.

You have offered concessions in a negociation; that means that your farmers are currently protected, not only ours.
And the concessions you have offered are qualified by some experts of more theoretical than real.

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

What about the 147 other nations?

The same goes for them, as well.

The world is wrong, only the US is right.
You will change your mind when 50% (or more) of the American culture will be spoken and written in Spanish.

[Drake Tungsten]

The world is wrong, only the US is right.

Yep. Certainly isn't the first time.

You will change your mind when 50% (or more) of the American culture will be spoken and written in Spanish.

No. Culture is an ever-changing thing, whether the French admit it or not.

[Adam Smith]

Originally posted by DAVOUT
You have offered concessions in a negociation; that means that your farmers are currently protected, not only ours.

As the article indicates, the EU are the ones dragging their feet. (Note that France did not want the EU to make even these concessions, and argued that the EU negotiator had exceeded his authority.)

And the concessions you have offered are qualified by some experts of more theoretical than real.

Cite please, from unbiased experts.

The world is wrong, only the US is right.

In Iraq, no. In this case, yes.

You will change your mind when 50% (or more) of the American culture will be spoken and written in Spanish.

That's what people said about the Irish, the Poles, Blacks, Asians .... Things change. Deal with it. That's what you sign up for here the day you become a citizen.