Euphemism: a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
You may have heard some groups talk about the need for “trade facilitation”. That means no inspection. No border delays. Just bring in the subsidized imports fast and pretend they are safe.
“Trade facilitation” is a euphemism. Its re-branding a strategy of underfunded and failed border inspections. It means you can bring in unsafe food without testing. You can bring avoid duties by trans-shipping your product through another country, or mis-labeling your containers, because Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) won’t check.
The ultimate “trade facilitation” is to abolish CBP and the FDA and US Department of Agriculture inspections. Toxic seafood, contaminated tomatoes, lead painted toys, etc. could flow across the border really fast.
All we need is “harmonization”. Another euphemism. “Harmonization” means that other countries send us some papers saying their laws are as strict as ours. Then our federal government free traders call those foreign laws “harmonized.” So if Vietnam says they have state inspection of packing plants – but they don’t really inspect anything – the Vietnamese laws are “harmonized” with ours so its ok. Because it says so on the paper. Quit paying attention to the unlawful antibiotics or the salmonella in the actual meat within the container.
Economy in Crisis has a video version of the happy future present that “harmonization” and “trade facilitation” bring us.
