Comments on: Bush And Dems Reach Bipartisan Trade Deal http://donklephant.com/2007/05/11/bush-and-dems-reach-bipartisan-trade-deal/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:27:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: wj http://donklephant.com/2007/05/11/bush-and-dems-reach-bipartisan-trade-deal/#comment-325363 wj Fri, 11 May 2007 23:25:24 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=3505#comment-325363 I keep wondering if those who argue the most strongly on this topic are familiar with one concept: subsistance agriculture. Any idea the hours, working conditions, number of children involved? Thought not -- not a clue in the world. Certainly all of these labor practices would be good to ban. And I personally think nobody ought to have to deal with them. But if the alternative is living and working in a subsistance agriculture situation, they can look like a step forward. And sometimes, however regretable it is, they show every sign of being the only available step forward. Anybody who urges a blanket ban ought to have some hard evidence for how his alternative will successfully get people out of subsistance agriculture in the real world. I keep wondering if those who argue the most strongly on this topic are familiar with one concept: subsistance agriculture. Any idea the hours, working conditions, number of children involved? Thought not — not a clue in the world.

Certainly all of these labor practices would be good to ban. And I personally think nobody ought to have to deal with them. But if the alternative is living and working in a subsistance agriculture situation, they can look like a step forward. And sometimes, however regretable it is, they show every sign of being the only available step forward. Anybody who urges a blanket ban ought to have some hard evidence for how his alternative will successfully get people out of subsistance agriculture in the real world.

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