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.
Willie,
Travel much?
I can understand, and respect, (but disagree with) your protectionist leanings, however your statement above is simply not true. Even in traveling in the third world, one is astounded by the number of American products in circulation.
And yes, not all of them are wholly manufactured in the 50 states, but often the higher value elements of their design, production and distribution are performed by Americans.
You're a doofus.
"Take that AFL-CIO! Marxism always loses to Capitalism."
You got tht baackwards as far as this issue is concerned.
>>The freer the markets the freer the people!<<
In theory -- MAYBE. NAFTA has been an unmitigated disaster for this country. Why would anyone in their right mind think this latest surrender of sovereignty will be any different?
Anyone believing this load of bullshit is welcome to open a new major appliance store chain in the Central American countries in which these millions of "new customers" reside.
Now it will be the turn of the senate leadership to get everyone in line and on board. Amazing, isn't it? Frist and Co. will pull out all the stops to get CAFTA rammed through, but when it comes to judicial appointments, SS reform, or illegal immigration, there just isn't the will to whip the "moderate renegades" into submission.
Yes; I'm disgusted.
"That's a good thing, right?"
Only for the few that rule the surfs.
And finally, Communist China is slowly becoming a pain in the global #$%.
It may be worse.
My husband thinks China is the smoke behind the smoke screen. He thinks they may have been a silent partner in 9/11.
Note how Russia is cosying up to China lately. Both had/have dreams of grandeur which America has blocked. They have a common cause in doing what they can to harm the U.S. so we can't block their path.
Yup, that's plenty of demand for good engineers and programmers. The "good" quantifier eliminates a majority of them, though.
Bush is the ONLY president who . . .
well, just read my tagline.
They don't care. They'll support anybody who's anti-abortion, anti-fag, and pro-gun. America be damned.
>>> I just wish that free trade didn't come with quasi governmental organizations that suddenly get power over the American people. <<<
There is nothing free or conservative about so-called "free trade", and nothing anti-capitalistic about tariffs. Old-time conservatives, from our Founding Fathers up to the GOP in the 20th Century, favored tariffs. GOP support of so-called "free trade" is a new-fangled trend.
In your book, cheap illegal labor = capitalism.
Excellent logic.
It's a sad day in and for the United States of America.
Don't forget physicians, lawyers, journalists, and virtually every other white-collar job that is headed to India.
But it's all okay, because it's in the name of capitalism.
Those no benefit part time low wage jobs pendling Chinese crap will feed a family of -6.
I believe true conservatives say PRO-life and PRO-second ammendment.
You're using liberal terminology to explain what you dislike about us.
That makes me wonder about you.
P.S. We're anti the recent gay agenda, (homosexual boyscout masters or we cut your United Fund participation, NAMBLA for allowing men to have sex with boys, spreading AIDS without regard for the rest of the public by being against public health service testing and tracking and counseling of partners, and desanctifying marriage.)
We're also for private property rights (5th ammendment) and for freedom of worship (including Christians) and for strong national defense and for equal opportunity (including white men) and no religious test for public office (including believing Catholics for the Supreme Court) and equal justice under law (including rich celebrities).
We're out there for much more than your narrow vision of us.
Now would be a great time for American companies that moved their businesses to China or do business with China to move everything to Central America. With shipping costs greatly reduced and time to market reduced prices can be reduced and it hits China below the belt.
I might just decide to start a toy company as well as a chopstick manufacturing plant in Central America. Maybe even a clothing company.
The best hope for America is to see less "Made in China" products.
I'm too new to get in flame wars, so I'll very nicely say that I'm sincerely amused to hear that you actually want to keep the lawyers and journalists employed.
Can anyone tell me exactly what this means, kind of young. (18 in two days)
Yes, let's open shop in Honduras.
Made in Honduras is much better than made in China.
Of course, Kathy Gifford will be excoriated if she tries to do this. And we'll be ridiculed and ostracized for running sweatshops and oppressing workers and abusing children if we dare to give them a job.
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