I don't understand NAFTA either, but as long as trade issues are viewed through the monoculars of Free Trade vs. Protectionism, everyone is barking up the wrong trees, even if they are different trees.

Seems to me that as currently understood and implemented, free trade agreements result in lots of money for corporate coffers (and sometimes government coffers - where it stays or gets spend in ways other than to promote the welfare of the citizens to whom that government is responsible), and increased exploitation of workers and rape of the environment throughout the world.

I would like to see the advent of FAIR trade agreements that are contingent upon, and also offer some incentive for some minimally reasonable standard of working conditions for laborers in those countries, and some minimally reasonable standard for environmental protections.   Long-term, that would be a win-win situation.

The vast majority of the monitary benefits of free trade accrue to a relatively very small number of the inhabitants of this world, and result in a net degradation of the environment worldwide. The earth, and the people who produce the goods freely traded do not come close to reaping a proportionate share of the benefits.