My personal response to the Tsunami was to give to the American Red Cross's relief effort.
On the other hand, would it be so absurd for someone to decide that the best way to respond to this disaster was by trying to work harder for free trade with the developing world? Natural disasters regularly have much greater impacts on poor countries than rich ones (which can afford to have more stringent building codes, better medical services, and better communication systems to broadcast warnings). The scope of what trade could do for third world countries is far greater than what is likely from aid (yay to the multi-fiber agreement ending, even if there is some talk of "protecting" US and European clothing manufacturers in other ways). For good measure, it's a free way to help, since it provides us a net benefit as well (even if it does increase the speed of changes which were taking place in the US economy, causing some workers to lose jobs in declining industries and others to gain them in rising industries).
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timeasmymeasure
Even Tsunamis Provide a Chance to Enter the Camel's Nose into the Political
Date: 2004-12-31 03:46 pm (UTC)On the other hand, would it be so absurd for someone to decide that the best way to respond to this disaster was by trying to work harder for free trade with the developing world? Natural disasters regularly have much greater impacts on poor countries than rich ones (which can afford to have more stringent building codes, better medical services, and better communication systems to broadcast warnings). The scope of what trade could do for third world countries is far greater than what is likely from aid (yay to the multi-fiber agreement ending, even if there is some talk of "protecting" US and European clothing manufacturers in other ways). For good measure, it's a free way to help, since it provides us a net benefit as well (even if it does increase the speed of changes which were taking place in the US economy, causing some workers to lose jobs in declining industries and others to gain them in rising industries).