Posted on 07/27/2005 9:14:44 PM PDT by RWR8189
WASHINGTON - The House narrowly approved the Central American Free Trade Agreement early Thursday, a personal triumph for President Bush, who campaigned aggressively for the accord he said would foster prosperity and democracy in the hemisphere.
The 217-215 vote just after midnight adds six Latin American countries to the growing lists of nations with free trade agreements with the United States and averts what could have been a major political embarrassment for the Bush administration.
It was an uphill effort to win a majority, with Bush traveling to Capitol Hill earlier in the day to appeal to wavering Republicans to support a deal he said was critical to U.S. national security.
Lobbying continued right up to the vote, with Vice President Dick Cheney, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman (news, bio, voting record) and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez tracking undecided lawmakers.
The United States signed the accord, known as CAFTA, a year ago with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, and the Senate approved it last month. It now goes to the president for his signature.
To capture a majority, supporters had to overcome what some have called free trade fatigue, a growing sentiment that free trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada have contributed to a loss of well-paying American jobs and the soaring trade deficit.
Democrats, who were overwhelmingly against CAFTA, also argued that its labor rights provisions were weak and would result in exploitation of workers in Central America.
But supporters pointed out that CAFTA would over time eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers that impede U.S. sales to the region, correcting the current situation in which 80 percent of Central American goods enter the United States duty-free but Americans must pay heavy tariffs.
The agreement would also strengthen intellectual property protections and make it easier for Americans to invest in the region.
"This is a test of American leadership in a changing world," said Rep. Kevin Brady (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, a leading proponent of the agreement. "We cannot claim to be fighting for American jobs and yet turn our backs on 44 million new customers in Central America.
No, there isn't; not yet anyway. You and I each coined a variation of the same thing and it really doesn't matter to me which one we use. The only thing about mine, is it sounds a bit churchy and since they consider him to be SAINT PAUL OF THE LOS...er LIBERTARIANS, perhaps my version is more fitting. LOL
As Short Circuit No.5 would say, "Input! I need input!"
I knew not all depressions were caused by speculation and resulting stock market crashes, but your reminding me of the huge destruction of WWI, loss of a generation of workers in the trenches, and the 20 million dead from the Swine flu (it did not originate in Spain) was useful.
Thanks for the info on Nafta.
Nevertheless, I am against relaxed trade in goods if they will not also relax trade, ownership, and movement of capital too.
In your example, I would have demanded an end to those rules in canada and mexico on foreign ownership before dropping tariffs.
From post #52:
NAFTA passes Congress, October 1993: Unemployment Rate 6.8%
Today: Unemployment Rate 5.0%
GDP Q3 1993: $7,536.0 trillion
GDP Q1 2005: $11,096.2 trillion
(2000 chained dollars)
So to answer your sarcastic question, yes, it has been.
Notice that those of us who deal in real facts don't need phony fonts. :)
Are we at war with Canada and Mexico and what about the illegals who come here on boats, many in packing crates and on planes?
The president can NOT, BTW, just deploy the military to anywhere he wants to, when he wants to, all on his own.
And until you actually KNOW what you're talking about, replying to you is not only futile, but a waste of my time and energy.
There is really no other choice. Those in D.C. our Representatives, have made it abundantly clear, over and over, they do not care, and they just do what they please. The fix was in. This would have never lost.
By 08, you'll have a lot of company.
Paulists they are .... You know, he used to have good ideas, then for whatever reason, he lost it. Similar to posters here.
You know, we might be more inclined to listen to you, if you were not so extreme in your view of the facts.
You can honestly say that President Bush hasn't done enough or hasn't put his heart into it they way you would like, but to say he "hasn't even attempted to do anything positive" means you are blinded by prejudice and a tendency to hyperbole that undercuts your credibility.
I work in retail, I make 65,000 a year. I realize that that is not a large amount of money for many republicans, but it pays my bills. I never gratuated high school, but yet I've never had a problem getting a job. I realize you have alot of figures, but I can't really see how you're point relates to me. should I be ashamed of my retail job? would I have a really high paying tech job if there were no nafta?
I work with a company that out-sources call center jobs to india, are those you're examples of high paying jobs?
I was living in silicon valley when the dotcoms crashed. did all those really smart scientists, and computer techs lose their jobs to mexicans? I don't know, and I don't care, all I know is that my rent dropped in half, thats good enough for me.
excuse my grammer btw, Im just an ignorant white retail worker.
I WILL get back to you; promise. And I'll tell you about earlier panics and depressions, of which there were MANY, in our nation's history.
Odds are, the more money you make, the larger your trade deficit with your grocer.
Another unemotional, logical thinker joins the fray....
/sarcasm.
What's your source? According to this, the decline turned around in the 1990's.
http://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/Stats_earns.html
As you can see I found a leftist source, so it can't be said that it's rich guy propaganda.
Maybe he lost his good ideas, because ...... gee I don't know why, but he did.
You can't argue with one topic wonders.
and btw I'm 5 deep into a sixer of karl strauss's "endless summer gold", which I highly recommend. brewed in good old san diego.
Medical books call it Swine flu. And I have other more recent information if you are interested.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.