I Am For Reasonable Labor and Environmental Laws and Against Unilaterally Handicapping U.S. Industry with the Same (Under the Spirit of Marriage Equality, Let’s “Marry” Them!)

Currently, there a push to protect the U.S. fishing industry from foreign competitors because our brave men and women, who work in one of the most dangerous industries, have to comply with fishing regulations. While these regulations exponentially reduce by-catch (dolphins, whales, turtles, etc.), and also protect over-depleted fish stock (cod, anchovies, sole), they diminish their commercial catch, increase their expenses, and reduce their product base. Their foreign competitors do not follow such regulations and are thereby pushing out our fellow country men and women from business. This is the same death that many other U.S. industries have suffered.

This is why, years ago in law school, I stated in a paper of mine that if we want our industries to comply with cost-adding environmental laws and labor laws, we should work to slightly “even the playing field” and establish that in critical industries like these, foreign competitors must comply with at least some bare minimum labor and environmental laws that have some semblance to what our businesses must comply with.

I say, certify foreign fishing competitors that comply with the commercial fishing regulations our compatriots follow, and thereby save American fisheries, U.S. fishing trawler businesses, and our dignity. Then, work to give some other U.S. industries a rebirth – like textiles and garments.

Loren M. Lambert © January 10, 2014