>In fact, since the populist left is such a stauch opponent of "corporate
>welfare" (which in certain respects puts them in the same league as
>libertarian advocates of the "night watchman state"), in this case, using
>their own standards of judgment, they'd have to celebrate the WTO's ruling
>against "corporate welfare" for U.S. TNC's !!!
Max wrote:
>Actually the trade gang is not too much involved in
>tax policy, and vice versa. The WTO decision, if
>implemented (which it won't be), would improve the
>U.S. tax system but reduce U.S. competitiveness.
>Since this involves all of $4 billion a year, a
>change or lack of one isn't going to make too
>much difference.
>
>Chances are the trade people will oppose the WTO
>on this and the tax people will hold their tongues.
>Anti-free trade has more radical political juice
>than goo-goo tax policy.
I now write:
Max, are you forecasting that the "trade people" will oppose the WTO's ruling on tax breaks to overseas affiliates of U.S. TNC's b/c this ruling overrides "U.S. sovereignty" (if even the sovereignty of the U.S. Congress to legislate "corporate welfare" for U.S. TNC's) ? Are you saying that the "trade people" first and foremost are neo-mercantilist, worried about maintaining the "competitiveness" of U.S.-based capital, vis a vis their East Asian/EC rivals ? If so, who are you specifically referring to when you use the expression "trade people" (I'm not trying to set a trap here, I'm truly interested).
Thanks,
John G.