Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jdog2050]

Anyone listening to the debate?

I think the USA/SK fta will indeed die or drastically change. He just slammed the hell out of it.

[bassexpander]

I've been telling people this for weeks.

Obama, as much as non-Americans are getting caught up and salivating over the whole "change" slogan trumpeted by Obama, are going to realize that Bush was pretty darned good for Korea economically.

Obama will not be a good change for us in Korea.

[jdog2050]

[RACETRAITOR]

It's refreshing to see a politician who doesn't have a sweatpants boner for free trade.

[victorology]

Obama isn't against a Korea-USA FTA. He's against it in its current form and wants more benefits for U.S. automakers. I think Obama's opposition to the FTA is politics and he will change his opposition after the election.

[bassexpander]

Yeah, sure... vic, you're living in an "Obama can do no wrong because he's not Bush" dream state.

When elected (and he will be) he will be supported by a Democrat controlled congress. One of their platforms is abolishing free trade agreements, or modifying them, as stated above.

Korea will not allow modification, because they already view it as unfair to them. The modifications the Democrats would seek (involving the auto market) are the same modifications that would make the FTA downright useless to Koreans.

In other words... FTA gone.

Obama = no FTA.

Many of you may praise that, but you must also be prepared to take what it does to your salary and the Korean economy.

[jdog2050]

[bassexpander]

[pkang0202]

[victorology]

[M-su]

Wow, there's a lot of wise minds here.
A lot of well thought through comments.
I'm blown away by your political insight and fresh commentary on the economic climate both here and back in the States.

Wow, you guys so smart. Yeah, I should just turn off my tv and follow whatever the experts here on Daves have to say.

[bassexpander]

Hey, you assume that I'm not for Obama. I'll probably vote for Obama... not out of love for Democratic policies, however. Some of their policies are needed in the USA at this time.

Unfortunately, putting those into effect is going to hurt the Korean economy (where I live and work). You said it yourself: Obama is catering to the US auto industry. I agree with that. He's also going to cater to local American businesses.

Why have local American businesses and the auto industry been hurting these past years? Because products coming from China, Korea, etc., are cheaper. These products have not been taxed to the extent that American products endure when they come to places like Korea. Obama's party wants to change that. Not by removing tax on both ends, like the FTA, but by taxing incoming goods equally. I agree with that policy, although it will create inflation. The current system, and the FTA, are not working because it doesn't benefit the USA overall. It only provides cheap products which creates riches for upper-classes and higher businessmen at the expense of the local small businesses and workforce.

The FTA in its present state is unacceptable to the US auto industry. You are correct. Newsflash, however -- one of the few things Koreans like about the FTA is the advantages Korean car makers enjoy. Koreans against the FTA want more advantages for Korea. To allow US automakers to change the deal in their favor would hurt Korea and be going the opposite direction Koreans want -- not forward.

End result = no FTA, because the deal will be unacceptable to Koreans or Obama's party -- either way.

[victorology]

[bassexpander]

By the way, Clinton signed the original FTA with China. That turned out to be a huge flop. He did it because he was told that the mass of Chinese people would be interested in buying US products. That didn't turn out to be the case, because the average Chinese person couldn't come close to affording US products.

We now have the massive trade imbalance we have, thanks to Clinton.

Bush just helped find new ways to exploit the already failed plan to the advantage of the rich.

[bassexpander]