[NMC EXP]

Your title is misleading. Where does it say the president signed CAFTA?

1) The title says "signs on to CAFTA" it does not say "signed".

2) "signs on to" means tacit or explicit approval not a signature.

3) If you think bush's trade entourage agreed to the documents in question without bush's sanction and approval you are to put it kindly, mistaken.

4) Stand on your own hind legs and debate the issue - don't run to the AM.

Sheesh.

[hedgetrimmer]

United States and Central America Sign Historic Free Trade Agreement
05/28/2004

Tariffs on 80% of U.S. Exports to Central America are Eliminated Immediately

WASHINGTON – U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick and Ministers of five Central American countries today signed the U.S. Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) a historic agreement that will eliminate tariffs and trade barriers and expand regional opportunities for the workers, manufacturers, consumers, farmers, ranchers and service providers of all the countries.

“For the United States, the signing of CAFTA opens a new chapter in the history of our relationship with Central America. CAFTA will put the U.S. relationship with Central America on a more solid mutual foundation, firmly grounded in our shared commitment to democracy, free markets, free people, and hope,” said Zoellick.

The signing of the final agreement, a 2,400 page document, took place in the Hall of the Americas at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS), where President Bush first announced his plan to negotiate an FTA with Central America during a speech in January 2002.

http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2004/May/United_States_Central_America_Sign_Historic_Free_Trade_Agreement.html

[hedgetrimmer]

I might add, that the office of Trade Minister is unConstitutional, and if Congress had not abdicate their authority to regulate trade, Roberty Zoellick would not be able to sign anything. But there it is, from the US Trade Representatives office, Zoellick signs, Bush fasttracks, congress and the American people are shoved out of the loop.

The thing IS signed. The USTR says so.

[Kaslin]

1) The title says "signs on to CAFTA" it does not say "signed".

I was using the past tense, so it is irrelevant. The title in the thread is still misleading because the title in the article of VOA News says US, OAS Members Sign New Environmental Agreements and at the last paragraph it says:

The accords were signed in Washington D.C. Friday by senior representatives of the governments of Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the United States.

It does not say the president signed it. and by the way I was correct when I said the title is misleading.

Read the article, and not just what you want to see