Welcome to the Week 4 discussion.

Before the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed, there was a big discussion at all levels. The Congress, the unions, the public, the President, offered their views. The Treaty finally entered into force in 1994. Free trade agreements do not affect everyone equally; that is why their signatures involve "heated" discussions; to the point that the current President of the United States, Mr. Donald Trump proposed renegotiating not only NAFTA, but all the trade agreements signed even with the European Economic Community and challenged China by imposing tariffs on imports of goods and services from that country. In December 2018, the United States, Mexico and Canada signed an agreement: the United States, Mexico and Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaced NAFTA.

1. Is it a good idea for the United States to have signed the USMCA with Canada and Mexico?

2. What are some of the arguments for?

3. What are some of the arguments against?

4. If you had been able to vote, would you have voted for or against signing the NAFTA treaty or replacing it with the USMCA?

5. How will President Trump's imposition of tariffs on aluminum imports into the United States affect you as a consumer? Why?