Economic Blocs What is the basis for support of free trade agreements and what benefits are derived?

The conservative Heritage Foundation takes the position that free trade allows American workers to "specialize in goods and services that they produce more efficiently" than anywhere else in the world; then, those goods can be (and are) exchanged for services and goods "that other countries produce at higher quality and lower cost" (Eiras, 2004). This policy helps America become more "competitive and innovative," Eiras writes; and by being innovative, America then produces new technologies which offer opportunities to produce even more goods and services (p. 1). The benefits for America vis-a-vis free trade agreements include: a) the chance to cure more diseases; b) improved educational facilities and institutions; c) less pollution; d) and greater economic growth and a greater "range of investment opportunities" (Eiras, p. 1).

When there is strong economic growth, which results from free trade arrangements, another result is better jobs that pay more and "higher standards of living," Eiras explains. Moreover, with new technologies, changes take place that serve the citizens well. Two reasons that the Heritage Foundation presents are as follows. ONE, Americans do have a higher standard of living with free trade agreements. When there are no trade barriers, companies that produce goods are apt to face "greater competition from foreign producers," and this situation stimulates American producers to "improve the quality of their production" while at the same time keeping their prices reasonable, to compete globally (Eiras, p. 2).

2). TWO, since innovation allows progress to take place, and competition is "the best incentive to innovate," therefore that very need to remain competitive through innovation (and to produce products at a lower price) is another good reason why free trade is a positive policy (Eiras, p. 3). A good example of how free trade and competition brings about benefits for consumers is the personal computer industry. In the 1980s, it cost a lot to buy a personal computer and few Americans had them, Eiras explains (p. 3). But due to competition (IBM, Apple, HP and others) the prices came drastically down and by 2002 over 65% of American adults had personal computers; of course, now, smartphones are also computers and cameras and video / still camera tools, and competition between several technology companies brought prices down.
What is the main economic bloc for the United States? Right now the NAFTA trade agreement is the biggest economic bloc for the United States. It is the North American Trade Agreement, and it links Canada, Mexico and the United States, and while the U.S. hopes to extend the bloc into Latin America, and has negotiated with Chile towards that end, right now there are no additional countries involved in NAFTA.

Meanwhile, the U.S. And the European Union (EU) are in…