Posted on 07/27/2005 3:39:18 AM PDT by Man50D
What's the connection between a $2.5 billion plan to construct a series of dams and locks along the Mississippi River and a trade agreement between the U.S. and six Central American countries? Answer: It's the price the Bush Administration paid for the vote of Senator Christopher Bond (R-Mo.) in favor of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.
In the end, CAFTA passed the Senate 54-45 on June 30 after Bond told the White House he'd be "more comfortable" voting for the trade deal holding a chit for his dams and locks. It headed to the House for what's likely to be a closer -- and more expensive -- vote. With the outcome still in doubt, the capital has become eBay on the Potomac as even some historically pro-trade House Republicans are acting suddenly coy. For legislators, the opportunity is a solid two-fer. "They can go back to their districts and say, 'Look what I got for you,' at the same time they can demonstrate to voters that the President is not a lame duck and Congress isn't paralyzed," says Norman Ornstein, a congressional analyst at the American Enterprise Institute.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...
Ain't politics grand??
What is sad is that the administration has to buy votes for this.
If it weren't from pressure from protectionists who don't know what they are talking about, CAFTA would easily pass on its on merits.
The great tax payer rape
CAFTA and all the tax payer funded bribes it takes to ram it
through..
Conservative Republicans? Honest, Upright, Forthright,Upholding and Honoring the Christian values of our Founding Fathers?
Bwhahahahahaha
Isn't it great that our sterling president is pushing a one-world agreement that will further destroy the sovereignty of the U. S. and help set up a Western Hemisphere union government like the European Union which wise voters in France and Denmark recently soundly rejected!
Bill Clinton was a traitor whose impeachment should have been confirmed by the Senate, and I participated in the Free Republic rally for his impeachment around the Washington Monument, but George W. Bush is doing even more damage to the U. S. than Clinton did, which was a lot!
Wake up, Freepers, and see how the government is lying to you!
"If it weren't from pressure from protectionists who don't know what they are talking about, CAFTA would easily pass on its on merits."
Did you sign up on FR just because the pro-cafta quislings need help? What part of the present administration do you work for?
Our facts vs. your emotions. Hardly a contest. But please keep spreading your third-party anti-Bush nonsense. Maybe, if you try real hard, you'll get more than 0.005% of the vote someday.
Welcome to FR, Syd's Dad! Just ignore the moonbats as they can't seem to control their emotions when confronted with facts. Their ignorance of economics can be very entertaining though.
" Our facts vs. your emotions. Hardly a contest"
So are you guys an organized pro-cafta group? Regarding your "facts" you have no idea what this will really do to our country because it hasn't been implemented yet. You're just ganging up on folks who don't agree with you to shut them up because you have some kind of monetary or political self-interest in seeing this passed.
Since NAFTA 1993.
21 million jobs created
Exports to NAFTA countries increased by 104% between 1993 and 2000. Exports to the rest of the world increased by half that much.
dljordan.. Is your position this: U.S. should create more goods than there are people wealthy enough to purchase them.
We're making 1000 gizmos, but were only able to sell 500 of them. Keep producing 1000 gizmos anyway. Is this your economic model for success and prosperity?
No, just economically literate.
Regarding your "facts" you have no idea what this will really do to our country because it hasn't been implemented yet.
I have a very good idea what this will do. Where would you like to begin?
You're just ganging up on folks who don't agree with you to shut them up because you have some kind of monetary or political self-interest in seeing this passed.
Stop projecting. You know nothing about me or if I have any personal interest in CAFTA passing. It's your side that's serving up the venom. Just look at your last post.
Thanks for the ping.
Well getting out of gizmo production and increasing imports to 10,000 gizmos bought on credit sure ain't gonna help.
CAFTA: Can Plutocracy at Home Produce Democracy Abroad?
Why CAFTA Will Not Improve Central American Security and Stability
all this "booming economy from trade" you refer to.
Bush has the lowest ratings of his presidency on economic issues in the latest polls. gasoline prices, and the meltdown in private sector job security, compensation, pension elimination, etc - due to outsourcing and offshoring is the reason why.
any Democrat who can tap into this unease of americans on economic matters - will sail into the white house.
That's pretty funny. But you still haven't offered one fact as to how this agreement will damage our country or, maybe how NAFTA has hurt our country or, how increased economic freedom negatively impacts per-capita GDP?
The fact that the government can tell me I have to pay two to three times the world price for sugar is a prime example of someone telling me they know better than I do. That you defend this is inconsistent with the freedom of choice you seem to support.
Tariffs are taxes. Removing these barriers to trade increases trade. This in turn increases individual wealth and government receipts. How can you say you are for freedom yet advocate in favor of allowing the government to take more of our money by imposing tariffs on what we buy?
The best thing about CAFTA is that it removes the tariffs the member countries currently impose on our exports. Why is increasing exports of American goods and services bad?
You must be one of those who lives in John Edwards' other world. There is not one economic indicator out there that doesn't say these are very good times. Bush's approval rating is down because the MSM refuses to tell the truth about the economy. You read these threads every day on FR. The first comment is usually something about the MSM trying to make this look like the worst economy since Hoover.
The best way for a rat to get elected in 2008 is to adopt protectionist measures and send the economy into the tank. No way a rat gets elected president unless the economy is sucking wind. A sure way to make that happen is to roll up the isolationist drawbridge and eschew the lessons freer trade has taught us.
Good reply.
and what I am telling you is that these "indicators" don't mean much to alot of real americans out there.
Maybe you can define who a real American is.
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