[bobabooey02]

The reason legislation like this isn't helping our country at the moment is because of globalization. Labor laws may help the workers, but it's a net negative if those laws just lead to the outsourcing of jobs. We need to choose between globalization for maximal gains for the rich, or protectionism for quality of life for our workers. At the moment, a middle ground doesn't seem possible.

[matthewmacleod]

Globalisation is fine where regulation can ensure that standards are still met. There is nothing that prevents domestic legislation setting standards for the working conditions of those who produce goods in foreign countries.

Protectionism isn't going to help workers in the long term. We live in a global market; accepting that and using legislation to deal with negative outcomes is a totally valid approach. The fact that it hasn't been done is because of the large amount of money standing in the way of it.

[bobabooey02]

Theoretically this is true, but look at how it's worked in practice. Manufacturing was shipped to places like China and Mexico where the minimum wage and quality of life is much lower. When considering these things, should we consider the theory of globalization, or the reality of what is happening?

[GavinMcG]

It's a little scary that you're advocating Americans compete by, say, doing away with child labor laws or safety standards. That's a disturbing enough view that you don't even want it linked to your primary HN account.

There can absolutely be a middle ground. We can tax rent-seeking. We can quit the austerity focused trickle-down policies that have been shown to fail, and put money into the hands of people who will actually spend it. We can actively redistribute wealth.

Why would you rather give up protections that cost our ancestors their lives to establish?

[chris_t]

I'd be interested in seeing proof that protectionism actually does benefit workers; I suspect the effect is mixed. Cheap goods from overseas often can help improve poorer people's standards of living, and it's not hard to see how protecting industries from more efficient competition overseas can benefit business owners.

[maxerickson]

Part of the problem is that capital is more mobile than workers.

You can send your factory bucks overseas a lot easier than a poor person can move to a country with a higher standard of living.

We need to start asking the question of whether our legal systems should be friendly to capital at every opportunity.