What is the ICC per Shann Turnbull's Question

[Deborah Groban Olson <dgo@esoplaw.com>]

Shann Trunbull asked me to define "ICC" as used in my previous policy
piece. The "ICC" I refer to in my "Stock Quid Pro Quo for Government
Largesse" piece is the Interstate Commerce Clause (ICC) of the United
States Constitution. This is the context. I think the WTO trade agreements
serve the same function for the world as the Interstate Commerce Clause
does for the US. The purpose of the ICC was to require uninhibited trade
between the states,  barring all tariffs or other state legislation that
would inhibit such trade. It has been used over the centuries to create a
much stronger federal government than the founders imangined, which has had
primarily positive effects, but perhaps some negative ones as well. The
important point about the comparison with the WTO, is that the ICC was
part of a larger Constitution which explicitly protected rights of
individuals and the  several States.  The WTO negotiated trade agreements
do not deal with the political and social fallout to civil society which
they may engender. Those usually are covered by a Constitution. If there
are agreements between governments on trade that drastically curtail the
rights of soverign governments to govern, then those international
agreements need to address other issues of civil society.

Deb Olson
Attorney Deborah Groban Olson
Principal
Shared Equity Strategies, Inc.
3163 Penobscot Bldg.
645 Griswold St.
Detroit, MI 48226
(ph) 313/ 331-7821  or 964-2460
(f) 313/ 331-2567     or 964-4065

dgo@EsopLaw.com
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