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Free trade pacts like CAFTA are good because it opens markets for the US economy that were formally closed, it allows cheaper goods to flow into the US (building our ability to purchase goods at cheaper prices), and enhances our economy by creating jobs.

Oh, now I get it. This works kind of like our trade with China.

As a small manufacturer of 24 employees servicing other companies in 2002 we are now a company of 4 employees. We couldn't compete with $0.38 to $0.72 (we pay more than that in taxes) per hour wages from China, Africa and South America. The remaining companies that we worked for have already sent that machinery to China and So. America. Guess where all the jobs have gone. Then in the great wisdom of our government we decided to help the less than fortunate to get them off welfare. This group is supposed to be self sufficient.....No way; they pay their people minimum wage, under cut the private sector wages by 60-70% and collect our taxes to subsidize this jobs for the poor all the while creating more joblessness of willing to work individuals.....

Thank you Cafta; we have just been advised that one of our customers is going to So. America to manufacture some additional items they kept in the states.........Everything is just fine....The trans national companies will do well. By the way, our state just awarded a contract for prison wear ($300,00.00) to an importing shell company that undercut a local company by $100,000.00..State says sorry; it's cheap. And why? Try to operate a manufacturing business in the US with all the taxes, rules, regulations etc. For those in office land you have no idea what is required out here in the real world.

We hope we won't have to buy any weapons from China to defend ourselves from China.