When I think of free trade I think of Starbucks Coffee and worker benefits. Is it true that by spending more money on a cup of coffee I promote better conditions and wages for workers in other countries? Also, is what I buy at places like The Gap, the banana republic, really an unsafe place to work for 8 year olds? Like my friend above, many Americans are uneducated and have misconceptions about what free trade is and what it means for them and the people who produce there. Just because you pay more for something doesn't mean workers are treated well by companies. Starbucks may pay extra for its coffee, but only to the people who harvest or grow it. The people who package the coffee in his rappers may work in unsafe working conditions, be children, or work 14-hour days. For us here in America, with tough economic times and people trying to live on a budget and save extra money, it's hard not to shop at places like Wal-Mart that offer cheap deals. Wal-Mart, however, can have such low prices and good deals because it not only treats employees poorly here, but also has cheap labor overseas. Because we are struggling in our homeland, it is difficult to look beyond and see what is happening in other places. Our mentality also prevents us from thinking about the cheap clothes we buy at a deal because we have unions, codes and laws that prevent child labor, super long days and