Immigrants Enlisted for Trade Pact

Washington Post ^ | April 7, 2005 | Krissah Williams

[hedgetrimmer]

U.S. officials are reaching out to immigrant business owners in their effort to win congressional approval of a free-trade agreement with five Central American countries and the Dominican Republic.

Officials from the State Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative met yesterday with about 60 Hispanic business owners and community leaders to encourage them to express support for the trade deal, known as CAFTA-DR. During the meeting, the attendees were told that their lobbying could be pivotal in getting Congress to pass the agreement.

[hedgetrimmer]

The audience at yesterday's meeting was more receptive. Most of the participants, who came from around the country, were invited at the behest of their home governments, which support CAFTA-DR. The legislatures of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have approved the pact. The Dominican Republic was added to the agreement last year.

Isn't it funny how the federal government isn't inviting US citizens to speak to Congress about this treaty? Isn't it great that citizens of foreign countries and their home governments are asked to lobby for the administration for treaties that clearly affect the sovereignty of our nattion and the lives of Americans?

Throughout the three-hour meeting -- conducted in Spanish and English with simultaneous interpretation available -- speakers played up the cultural link between the immigrants and their home countries.

Clearly the administration isn't interested in assimilating immigrants to American cutlure.

"This is important that we should work on together as brothers and sisters," Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Tex.) told the group in Spanish.

These people can't vote, but Congress treats them like constituents.

[1rudeboy]

Umm . . . I read this to mean that the folks were invited to speak "from around the country," and that they are U.S. citizens or LPR's.

[NRA2BFree]

They*re ALL a bunch of traitors who are hellbent on destroying America!! Thank you, President Bush for betraying Americans!!!

[hedgetrimmer]

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[1rudeboy]

This person is a traitor?

Salvadoran immigrant Abigail Rivera, whose family owns restaurants in Silver Spring, Gaithersburg and Alexandria, said she has begun chatting with friends about CAFTA-DR and would write letters of support.

[hedgetrimmer]

Gee you're quick today.

[hedgetrimmer]

Why should the federal government actively seek out foreigners to lobby Congress? Why should the opinion of a foreign born person, citizen or not, have more value than native born citizens? Why is the federal government emphasizing the culture of the foreign born, rather than emphasizing assimilation and commitment to the United States?

Why oh why?

[1rudeboy]

Where are you reading that these people are foreigners?

[monkeywrench]

"I read this to mean that the folks were invited to speak "from around the country," and that they are U.S. citizens or LPR's"

"This can benefit us. Each day we want to improve and make things better in our countries," Rivera said"

I took this to mean, this is more about international citizens.

[hedgetrimmer]

for·eign·er One who is from a foreign country or place.

[monkeywrench]

Think Babylon. We all know how that ended.

Thanks for the ping.

[1rudeboy]

Why should the opinion of a foreign born person, citizen or not, have more value than native born citizens?

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. [emphasis added]
U.S. Constitution, Amendment XIV, Section 1.

[hedgetrimmer]

You may have noticed the word citizen(s) is only used in the article with respect to name the organization LULAC.

[1rudeboy]

Please elaborate.

[Dog Gone]

Your irrational fear of this trade agreement is bordering on the comical.

It reduces tariffs on US exports. It opens up those countries for US companies like Sprint and Cingular to compete.

It's a good thing. The Administration is looking to generate domestic support for the bill. They're not going to recruit any John Birch Society members for that effort.

[1rudeboy]

You may have noticed that LULAC is opposed to CAFTA-DR.

[monkeywrench]

How many countries do these citizens have? Did you see the quote from the woman you sited?

[1rudeboy]

"This can benefit us. Each day we want to improve and make things better in our countries," Rivera said.

Sounds like a bona fide traitor to me. Hang her high. /sarc

[monkeywrench]

What's that got to do with the number of countries one has? Americans traditionally only have one.

[hedgetrimmer]

The article didn't say "citizens".