Why is it that when conscientious Americans citizens, question the devastating effects of our nation’s current foreign trade policies, trade with American corporations operating in nations, which have nothing to trade, is justified by tremendous savings for American consumers?
But when American consumers “consume” products manufactured by literal foreign companies in direct competition with American corporations yet to move their manufacturing facilities to foreign countries, and their headquarters to offshore tax havens, suddenly our federal government is against “free trade” and “globalization.”
The Associated Press reported: “The FDA says it cannot guarantee the safety of drugs bought abroad. … In stopping the incoming shipments, the government has intercepted pills made of sugar, controlled substances, animal drugs sold for human use and drugs with other problems. Brand-name prescription drugs can cost half the U.S. price.”
So is the problem really “pills made of sugar, controlled substances, animal drugs sold for human use and drugs with other problems,” or brand-name drugs that “cost half the U.S. price”? After all, if the government intercepted the drugs that identified the problem, why can’t the same government stop the problem it intercepted enough drugs to identify?
Or is the real problem the fact that America’s pharmaceutical manufacturers are yet to exploit foreign workers and U.S. markets simultaneously? Once drug manufacturing has followed the lead of textile, apparel and furniture manufacturing, will the FDA continue to block importation of foreign drugs, or will the importation of “foreign” drugs manufactured by foreign workers on U.S. corporations’ payrolls in U.S. owned or leased facilities in foreign countries be legalized?
Robert C. Currie Jr.
Laurinburg
