CAFTA is the answer to China's growing power

The Seattle Times ^ | May 24, 2005 | Froma Harrop

[Toddsterpatriot]

That's true, and if they modernize and grow their GDP, that's all the more reason for their citizens to try to sneak into our country.

You are correct sir!! Just look at how many more Irish immigrants we have sneaking into our ports today compared to the 1840s and 1850s. The richer Ireland gets the faster the Irish leave her.

[1rudeboy]

Actually, it has done the opposite of everything you have said. It's merely a first step to the EU of the Americas.
This would mean a total loss of our sovereignty as an independent nation.

I give. You win. How can I fight such a well-researched, cohesive argument? LOL

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Really? How many jobs did we have before NAFTA? How many now?

Let me repeat it since you didn't read my previous post. Good paying manufacturing jobs have been replaced by lower paying service ones. If you think someone would rather flip burgers at $7.00 an hour instead of working in an automobile plant making $20.00 then I guess I've got it all wrong, Free Trade is wonderful.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Actually, it has done the opposite of everything you have said.

Maybe you could put down your purse and post a fact to back you up?

Or do we have to rely on your feelings?

[1rudeboy]

And what from our market they can buy anyway making those kind of wages?

According to the USTR, something on the order of 15.7 billion dollar's worth of merchandise in 2004. I know, I know, pocket change. /sarc

[Toddsterpatriot]

Good paying manufacturing jobs have been replaced by lower paying service ones.

So wages dropped then? How about a link to prove your feelings about jobs are correct?

[1rudeboy]

How about a link to prove your feelings about jobs are correct?

Apparently, there are some "reliable" ones out there. But I have a feeling that they are rapidly falling into the Pell Grant memory hole.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Apparently, there are some "reliable" ones out there. But I have a feeling that they are rapidly falling into the Pell Grant memory hole.?

Get real, so many links and charts have been posted on these threads documenting the loss of real wages and good paying jobs thanks to NAFTA that to keep doing it is a waste of time.

The bottom line is in the real world the ones who count in Congress are hearing from their angry constituents and they know some of their communities have been devasted. If they want to keep their jobs they'll just say no to CAFTA.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Maybe they were out in the Sun for too long. Can't remember where I left that link.

[Dog Gone]

Here are some facts you don't want to believe. The Central American labor market can make things we want right now cheaper than we can make them.

Nothing in CAFTA will change that one way or the other. It's just a fact.

The Central American market isn't that small. You should visit there some time. People somehow think it resembles Mexican border towns. Not so.

We can sell them food at prices cheaper than their current cost to produce it. So everyone is a potential consumer.

In El Salvador, the tariff on a new US car is 30%. That means it costs 30% more for one of their residents to buy a US car than you pay. CAFTA eliminates that. We will sell more cars there as a result.

This is not complicated economics.

[Dog Gone]

ROFL

[Toddsterpatriot]

Get real, so many links and charts have been posted on these threads documenting the loss of real wages and good paying jobs thanks to NAFTA that to keep doing it is a waste of time.

Hahahaha. I don't need to post any facts. Perfect. You're living down to our expectations.

You were right rude, I owe you a beer.

[1rudeboy]

Get real, so many links and charts have been posted on these threads documenting the loss of real wages and good paying jobs thanks to NAFTA that to keep doing it is a waste of time.

Maybe, but here you stated that you've "got some." What happened?

[1rudeboy]

I called it!

[Toddsterpatriot]

Maybe his links and charts were outsourced? Or was it his brain?

[Reaganwuzthebest]

It takes two seconds to google links that demonstrate falling real wages since NAFTA was approved:

FACTSHEET ON THE NAFTA RECORD

It doesn't matter though, your mind is made up that Free Trade is wonderful and prosperity for one and all is right around the corner.

[1rudeboy]

A beer sounds good right about now. It's been a fine day. Later, everybody.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

We can sell them food at prices cheaper than their current cost to produce it. So everyone is a potential consumer.:

What I stand by is the claim that NAFTA has already proven any economic gain from exports, if there is any will be far outweighed by a net loss of more good-paying jobs. We are practically inviting American companies to ditch their domestic workers in favor of the cheaper ones in these third world countries.

[Toddsterpatriot]

There is nothing on your link about falling real wages for Americans. Try again?

[investigateworld]

Typical FR post, everyone's wandered from the thread to food critic, historian, name calling etc.
Bottom line is, China would not be that big of a concern without the duckets that free trade has provided for her expansion. Now we're told we've birthed a monster and must seek allies in Latin America to protect ourselves?