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In Bush Win, House Narrowly Approves CAFTA
Associated Press ^ | July 27, 2005 | JIM ABRAMS

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.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: cafta; gatt; nafta
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To: Toddsterpatriot

And Andrew Stein !


761 posted on 07/29/2005 8:31:30 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons; My GOP
In any event, Alinsky's rules include:

Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also, it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage."

Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it and polarize it." (Think Gingrich, Lott and the success of name-calling used by the likes of Bill Clinton, Paul Begala, James Carville, Maxine Waters and others against conservatives and Republicans. Think of how Clinton "enemies" like Paula Jones or Linda Tripp were treated.)

"One of the criteria for picking the target is the target's vulnerability ... the other important point in the choosing of a target is that it must be a personification, not something general and abstract."

The enemy properly goaded and guided in his reaction will be your major strength." For instance, Democrats imply conservatives are racists or that Republicans want to kill senior citizens by limiting the growth of the Medicare system, they imply Republicans want to deny kids lunch money without offering real proof. These red-herring tactics work.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1097651/posts
762 posted on 07/29/2005 8:33:11 PM PDT by hedgetrimmer
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To: nopardons

My argument is and has been the whole time that NAFTA has cost and CAFTA will cost the US, and NC in particular, manufacturing jobs. I provided the sources that shows NAFTA has cost NC manufacturing jobs. I'm sorry you can't accept that.


763 posted on 07/29/2005 8:33:32 PM PDT by My GOP
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To: hedgetrimmer

Thank you. Someone knows what's going on.


764 posted on 07/29/2005 8:35:06 PM PDT by My GOP
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To: nopardons

Religion is the last grasp of a scoundrel and anyone who says that they're going to pray for the person/s who have absolutely routed them in a debate, is a coward and a fraud and out of his or her depth.


No, its a sincere prayer. Since when as praying for someone, regardless of who they are, been a bad thing?


765 posted on 07/29/2005 8:40:31 PM PDT by My GOP
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To: hedgetrimmer
Oh things such as, when you think about the means justifying the end, the ONLY thing you should think of, is "DO THESE MEANS WORK?" In other words, do/say whatever will work.

He was a Marxist and he was against those who have anything. It's for the poor/ the children; don't ya know.

He said that the HAVES have power over the HAVE NOTS, so being a bit removed ( meaning an elitist ) from the HAVE NOTS, but telling them that you're really for them and that their opinions count ( in other words, LIE THROUGH YOUR TEETH, BUT MAKE THEM FEEL AS THOUGH THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING ), will give you the needed power over them.

You really should read the book. Hillary was a very good student of his and follows his methods to a T!

766 posted on 07/29/2005 8:45:15 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: My GOP
Ahhhhhhhhh, but you claimed that there are on;y 7 Republicans in the whole state of North Carolina. Did you go door to door and ask everyone whether he/she was a Dem or a GOP? If there are only 7 Republicans in the entire state, how did NC voters elect two GOPers to the Senate and another one to the House?

Is Howard a STATE official of is he in THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES , in D.C. ?

You really should learn how to write a cogent post. :-)

767 posted on 07/29/2005 8:49:27 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: hedgetrimmer

That too. But sometimes ridicule is valid; especially when someone posts ridiculous tripe. :-)


768 posted on 07/29/2005 8:51:02 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons

I meant 5 of NC's 7 U.S. House members. I did state it correctly earlier. Sorry, its late and I'm kind of upset at the personal attacks :)


769 posted on 07/29/2005 8:53:28 PM PDT by My GOP
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To: My GOP
You posted garbage, written/condoned by the likes of Malveaux, and Reich, and Stein and you proved NOTHING!

I will NOT accept lefty garbage as refutation or proof!

770 posted on 07/29/2005 8:53:40 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: My GOP
When it is condescendingly used here, as you did.

I thought that you were leaving. Change your mind? LOL

771 posted on 07/29/2005 8:54:50 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons

That too. But sometimes ridicule is valid; especially when someone posts ridiculous tripe. :-)


It's ridiculous when someone tries to argue that the US, and especially NC hasn't lost manufacturing jobs since NAFTA's passage when the facts are there in 3 different sources. :)


772 posted on 07/29/2005 8:55:08 PM PDT by My GOP
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To: My GOP
You didn't post it that way to me and I just got here.

If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. There were no personal attacks; just the statement of facts. I called a FAR LEFTY site a FAR LEFTY SITE, and you get your feelings hurt? Good grief; grow up!

773 posted on 07/29/2005 8:57:21 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons

You posted garbage, written/condoned by the likes of Malveaux, and Reich, and Stein and you proved NOTHING!
I will NOT accept lefty garbage as refutation or proof!


Did you read this article? No lefty here.

http://www.ncruralcenter.org/news/ncreconomysummer.pdf


By the way, did you even read the good Pat Buchanan article I posted?


774 posted on 07/29/2005 8:57:44 PM PDT by My GOP
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To: Toddsterpatriot

LOL! Oh, I spotted Reich. Excellent post. You done us proud.


775 posted on 07/29/2005 8:58:24 PM PDT by onyx (North is a direction. South is a way of life.)
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To: nopardons

I wasn't talking to you in regard to personal name calling directed at me. I was talking to Todd you has called me ignorant and a liar.


776 posted on 07/29/2005 8:58:53 PM PDT by My GOP
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To: My GOP
Since Julieann Malveaux and Robert Reich and Andrew Stein are the kind of people whose words you accept as gospel, them get off FR and join DU! They'll adore your posts.

I bet that without GOOGLING, you don't have the slightest idea who those people even are.

Do you gave a degree in economics? Have you even had one class in the subject?

Why are you so willing to believe the opinions of far lefties...because they say what you want to believe?

777 posted on 07/29/2005 9:02:00 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: My GOP
Pat Buchanan is an antisemitic, FORTRESS AMERICA lunatic.

So, you're a Patsie? ROTFLOL

778 posted on 07/29/2005 9:04:28 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: My GOP

Well, you ARE ignorant; that's no lie.


779 posted on 07/29/2005 9:05:17 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons

I just graduated from Wake Forest University this year with a degree in Political Science. Yes, I've taken economics and I believe CAFTA will kill NC's manufacturing sector just like NAFTA has done. Yes, I know who those people are.

This isn't a lefty site and it backs up what I've been arguing, NAFTA cost NC manufacturing jobs. CAFTA will too. That's why 5 of NC's 7 US House members voted against it. I guess Pat Buchanan is a far lefty too.

http://www.ncruralcenter.org/news/ncreconomysummer.pdf


780 posted on 07/29/2005 9:08:18 PM PDT by My GOP
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