Justin,
I don't know why you would say that the principles are all wrong. I
can't find any fault in the logic that:
(a) U.S. government cotton subsidies help depress world cotton prices,
and
(b) This artificial undercutting of cotton prices unfairly hurts cotton
farmers in Brazil
Opponents of government subsidies in this country already tend to be
familiar with arguments framed in nationalist terms (i.e. the harm to
U.S. taxpayers). I think it's great that this WTO ruling will give
libertarians and others a chance to become more acquainted with
arguments framed in global terms. The fact that you describe these
arguments as "novel" is illustrative of how accustomed to a nationalist
frame of reference most Americans are in such matters.
Yours in liberty,
<<< Starchild >>>
Now this one is interesting:
Brazil defeats US in dispute over cotton subsidies - Taipei Times
The US suffered a final defeat on Thursday in its dispute with Brazil
over cotton subsidies at the WTO.The organization's appellate body upheld a ruling last year by trade
judges who said US subsidies to cotton farmers broke international
trade
rules by depressing world prices and harming cotton farmers in Brazil
and elsewhere.The decision could force the US to lower the subsidies it pays farmers
to grow cotton and, eventually, other crops.[...]
The outcome is desirable but the principles are all wrong. U.S. farm
subsidies are paid by U.S. taxpayers and are therefore a violation of
U.S.
taxpayers' rights, but farmers in other countries have no such claim.J.
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