he78

So did you measure their median income? Bermuda still comes as one of the highest in the world.

This is getting a little absurd trying to argue with you since it seems like I would have to break down economic concepts to you because I know you do not come from an economics background.

Any economic index, regardless of its source, will show that freer trade shows more economic growth. Singapore surpasses Ireland in terms of economic growth; also, Ireland adopted more free market principles to achieve its growth when it started to privatize its industries. All the countries you mention that have high GDP per capita and high GDP growth have high economic freedom scores.

Trying to argue against freer trade for economic growth is like trying to argue with someone who says the Earth isn't round. China, India, Poland, Russia, etc., etc., grew their economies rapidly by moving to privatization and eliminating barriers to trade. Economists across the aisle support free trade; for example, read Paul Krugman's views on free trade in his Wikipedia entry (or research Goolsbee's, Geithnner's, Stglitz's, DeLong's, Sach's, Summers', etc, etc, etc, -- not to mention the plethora of economists' from across the other aisle -- views on free trade's effects on economic growth). This concept is not even debated anymore among the world's leading economists.

That's simply not the case because U.S. taxpayers can buy goods and services at cheaper prices. Sure, they might lose out on tax revenue, but their consumption -- and accordingly, standard of living -- grows because they can spend more on more goods. GDP grows as a result.

I have a PhD in Economics, and any economist will spot holes in your argument immediately. It's not shuffling money around. When a country can produce goods and services at a lower cost, another country can buy those goods and services at cheaper prices. Thus, both countries benefit and their economies both grow as a result. This is simple, basic economics.