[glypo]

Glad you disagree, I like discussion.

But free trade did not get us into this at all. There is a massive difference between free trade and deregulation. Deregulation is bad, and it's Gordon Browns deregulation of our banks that messed them up, and the deregulation of Wall Street that caused this crisis.

How can free trade cause a crisis though? Free trade just means everyone is free to trade with each other. Of course, every country has their import duty though, but it's not the same.

The idea of restricted trade is to tax heavily certain items being imported to encourage people to buy products made in their home country. This is the basis of restricted trade, how can you get Americans to buy American cars - heavily tax the European and Japanese ones. In theory it sounds like a good idea. But of course the rest of the world suffers, so as the international market drops as a result, domestic markets also drop when trade is restricted. Whether we like it or not, all of our economies are connected. Of course, when trade restrictions are put in place by one country, other countries (the ones affected) put in place restrictions of their own to retaliate and soon enough the whole world is doing it and we are at a world war.

Google for Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, there is bound to be a good wiki article on it, a perfect example of how to turn a recession into depression. This shows the consequence of restricted trade, and it's something Obama is in favour of to "boost" the American economy. Therefore I totally disagree with what you said, Free trade is not responsible for the current mess. Free trade is in fact responsible for every boom the worlds economy has seen. I really think you are confusing it with deregulation - which I agree is bad to an extent, although there needs to be a certain amount of compromise.

And I never said McCain was the better candidate. I simply pointed pointed out that Obama is not some amazing hero as it seems the media and general opinion seem to suggest. Both candidates have their strengths, and both certainly have their weaknesses. I was simply trying to give a fairer picture of the real world situation.

It's all very well for you to say McCain would be like another Bush, but it's totally unfounded. Without at least explianing the logic behind your comment it appears as a meaningless comment with no real weight as an arguement. McCain has a great track record in politics and has done lots of good for America, IMO a far cry from Bush.

As I say if I was an American, I think I would have voted Obama. But I think it would have been a tough choice. Regardless of impressions, you can never predict the future. I just hope for eveyones sake Obama is the right guy.