How "free trade" works

Associated Press (noted by Don Surber):

Beginning Monday, only cars built in 1998 — none older and none newer — can be legally imported into Mexico...

Until now, used cars 10 to 15 years old were scooped up at auction by South Texas used car dealers and rapidly sold to Mexicans hungry for affordable transportation and "la novedad" — or novelty — of unfamiliar makes and models.

Cars newer than that were banned from imports as unwelcome competition for Mexican car dealers, and anything more than 15 years old was seen as a potential environmental and safety hazard.

But now, under pressure from Mexico's new car dealers who say "vehiculos chatarra," or jalopies, undercut their sales, the Mexican government is allowing only 10-year-old used cars to be legally imported into Mexico...

Yes, I’ve already made note of the horrors of the U.S. sugar program here. Point is, the so-called “free trade” program always seems to be free except when some free trading might wind up benefitting average citizens– of any country.

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 17:44:31 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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