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.
Exactly what what means?
Aunt Patty is here to help.
Sounds like you have a good start on understand what this means, despite your age.
I totally agree with what you said... take it or give it to China!! Now if we could put some muscle in our border security and immigration "laws", like China, we would be well on the way to plugging the hole to maintaining jobs for legal citizens that want to work. Job problem solved too. Big picture!
I don't believe you make $65 grand and I didn't finish reading your post.
I have worked my rear ass off for 26 yrs only to raise to 35,000 a year and I can do much skilled med training.
Perhaps I should sale tractors full of clothes?
McCain-Kennedy immigration bill will probably not meet with your favor.
We've been building a tall fence and hiring more Border Patrol agents and upgrading computer and camera surveilance:
Once easy, illegally entering the U.S. here now a risky passage
You didn't ask what he was selling and whether he had worked his way up to a management position.
US Manufacturing led our economic recovery 3 years ago and its still growing in terms of revenue (not in terms of employment since technology enables changes that do more with less).
Freer trade builds freer minds which enables a better world and better life for mankind. There’s a dark side to everything, and some will focus on it, but here it’s overwhelmed by The Good!
Thank you Dubya and crew!
Bubye
That may be your problem. Medicine has been partially socialized (Medicare) and it has devalued the whole market.
My advice is to switch field and learn ...say plumbing or car repair.
And what do I see around me?? The sun is shining, the birds are singing, there are no soup lines, the world has not ended.
And CAFTA has been signed! I'm amazed that we survived. ;)
Good post!
Yeah..........those stinking capitalists. We should put them all in jail so the country could survive.....
Is this legit, or is it hype? I don't know. Where's the evidence? They had better not try to take away my supplements or they have trouble on their hands.
LOL at the keywords!!
Oh, good, you're up.
Your can take the second shift.
Aunt Patty has left the building.
How'd the USSR get rid of their middle class...with machine guns...these so called leaders in the beltway at least learned from history. Under the cover of an agreement, middle class can silently be removed. Without the middle class the evildoers can then rule the world.
As the scripture teaches, we're not part of this world (system). Tic Toc the evildoers will be done with sooner than later, Thank The Lord (Psalm 37).
They think that CAFTA (which is only free TRADE among Western Hemisphere countries, not joining with other governments), somehow means that we are now going to be all one country.
I'm sorry, but it's really weird. Somebody planted this irrational fear in their minds, and so they are spooked by everything (besides hating everyone named Bush......also bizarre and irrational).
George W. Bush has stood firmly for American sovereignty against the whole world, against the UN, against Kyoto, against the World Court.
This One World Order stuff is paranoid nonsense.
(Does that help?? And congratulations for your political interest at 17. GOOD for you!)
"I don't see how Nafta "has helped Mexicans work and produce in their home country"."
Excellent!!
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