Help Preserve Jobs and National Security & Independence:Defeat the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement

The New American ^

[Coleus]

UPDATE, July 19, 2006. The House is expected to vote on the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA) very soon.   The Senate has already approved this trade pact by 60-34 in June. This could be another CAFTA-type cliff hanger in the House, so please contact your representative immediately via phone, fax, or email, in strong opposition to the U.S.-Oman FTA. Phone is preferable due to the shortness of time and the bigger impact. 

Help Preserve Jobs and National Security & Independence: Defeat the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement

What's it all mean?

We have a golden opportunity to derail the NAFTA/CAFTA series of "free trade" agreements that are producing massive job losses for Americans and eroding national security and independence.

The U.S.-Oman FTA (Free Trade Agreement) was approved by the Senate with a vote of 60-34. The vote on this agreement is expected to be much closer in the House.

In light of the winning margin of just two votes on last year's CAFTA bill, and election-year jitters over controversial votes, the U.S.-Oman deal could be defeated in the House.

NOTE: A vote by the full House is expected in July, so you have to contact your representative now! (Please!)

Reasons for Opposing the U.S.-Oman FTA:

• The U.S.-Oman FTA threatens American jobs. For example, AMTAC (American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition) states that the agreement includes a ridiculously large tariff preference level (TPL) of 50 million square meters of textiles annually for 10 years, which will mean that Chinese yarns and fabrics will be shipped to Oman, cut and sewn into garments and then exported duty-free to the U.S.
• The U.S.-Oman FTA threatens national security. As reported on the Lou Dobbs Tonight show of June 28, "Under the Oman free trade agreement, foreign port operators would have a right, an absolute trade agreement right, to establish operations, to acquire, to operate, to run port facilities within the U.S." Under the "Cross Border Trade in Services" chapter of the U.S.-Oman FTA, a Dubai Ports World-type enterprise could acquire a company in Oman, and then operate U.S. ports through that company.
• The U.S.-Oman FTA threatens our national independence. Just as a European-wide free trade agreement has led to the loss of sovereignty of European nations to the European Union, and just as NAFTA (North American Free Trade Area) is now being converted into a sovereignty-destroying North American Union through the creation last year of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America, the U.S.-Oman FTA is designed to help bring about a Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA), which would be another sovereignty-destroying, supranational organization to which the U.S. would belong.

Recommended Action Plan:

1. Contact your representative in-person, or by phone, fax, or email before the House reconvenes July 10 and demand a NO vote on the U.S.-Oman FTA based on the reasons above.
   
2. Click here to see whether your rep voted yes on the CAFTA bill last year, which should be a good indicator of whether he is likely to vote yes on the U.S.-Oman FTA this year.

   Dear Representative, 

   Please vote NO on the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement!
   
   My reasons are:
   
   •The U.S.-Oman FTA threatens American jobs. For example, the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC) states that the agreement includes a ridiculously large tariff preference level (TPL) of 50 million square meters of textiles annually for 10 years, which will mean that Chinese yarns and fabrics will be shipped to Oman, cut and sewn into garments and then exported to the U.S. duty free. 
   
   •The U.S.-Oman FTA threatens national security. As reported on the Lou Dobbs Tonight show of June 28, “Under the Oman free trade agreement, foreign port operators would have a right, an absolute trade agreement right, to establish operations, to acquire, to operate, to run port facilities within the U.S.” Under the “Cross Border Trade in Services” chapter of the U.S.-Oman FTA, a Dubai Ports World-type enterprise could acquire a company in Oman, and then operate U.S. ports through that company.
   
   •The U.S.-Oman FTA threatens our national independence. Just as a European-wide free trade agreement has led to the loss of sovereignty of European nations to the supranational European Union, and just as the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA) is now being converted into a sovereignty-destroying North American Union through the creation last year of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America, the U.S.-Oman FTA is explicitly designed to help bring about a Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA), which would be another sovereignty-destroying, supranational organization to which the U.S. would belong.

[Admin Moderator]

Do not attempt to violate forum rules by posting unlinked articles from the Los Angeles Times. Any further violations will result in something more than a warning.

[1rudeboy]

Wow, that was quick. I was planning to alert you, promise.

[hedgetrimmer]

I'm flattered that you have so much time to spend with me here.

[Toddsterpatriot]

This nation has had NAFTA, GATT, and membership in the World Trade Organization. The results do not give supporters of free trade cause to congratulate themselves.

That's right! Before NAFTA, we exported $41.6 billion to Mexico in 1993. After NAFTA, we exported $120.3 billion to Mexico in 2005.

No reason for free traders to congratulate themselves.

[1rudeboy]

It didn't take long at all. It's just that whenever you post someone else's material without attribution, I find it humorous to discover what degree of leftist moonbat they actually are.

[hedgetrimmer]

I'm sorry.

[Old_Mil]

If these free trade agreements threaten US jobs, then please explain why unemployment is LOWER than when we first signed them.

If these free trade agreements don't threaten our standard of living, please explain why a man cannot buy a home, one car, and support a wife and two children on a single income after graduating from college like he could fifty years ago.

[hedgetrimmer]

How about this leftwing moonbat?

Rep. Taylor Votes Against Oman Free Trade Agreement

Washington, Jul 20 - WNC Representative Charles Taylor today voted against H.R. 5684, the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act. Taylor condemned the legislation as another misnamed “free” trade agreement that will do nothing but wreak havoc on the WNC economy by sending local jobs overseas.


“This agreement is just another in a long line of devastating trade deals, stretching back to President Bill Clinton’s signature of NAFTA,” said Rep. Taylor. “Foreign countries may be racing for the bottom with cheap labor and nonexistent environmental regulations, but we don’t have to help them by giving away the store.”


The Oman Free Trade Agreement opens a loophole that will benefit Chinese companies at the expense of U.S. textile companies and workers. This loophole allows yarns and fabrics from China to be sent to Oman and assembled into apparel while still receiving duty-free access to the U.S. market, which is twice the level of current apparel trade with Oman. The apparel plants in Oman are Asian-managed and staffed with thousands of Chinese and Bangladeshi laborers who live and work in large enclosed compounds. As a result, this agreement will benefit China – not Oman or the United States.


“While I have fought every bad trade deal for the last sixteen years in Congress, I have also fought to bring new job opportunities to our region,” said Taylor. “We have accomplished much through the Education and Research Consortium to attract higher-paying, knowledge-based jobs to WNC. Unfair trade deals like today’s Omani agreement only undermine these efforts

http://charlestaylor.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=47461

[Dog Gone]

LOL

[Dog Gone]

You HAVE to be kidding. The standard of living has increased dramatically over 50 years. If you want to live like you did 50 years ago, you don't even have to go to college.

[1rudeboy]

Nah, he has an ACU Lifetime of 92. But you identified him.

[Old_Mil]

I didn't ask for a subjective evaluation of standard of living. The question is, can a man fresh out of college afford to marry, buy a house, have his wife stay at home, and have a couple of children within a year or two of graduation?

The answer of course is "No." - even if they forgo cable TV, a new car, cellphones, and so on. Keep in mind that we are comparing today's college graduate to yesterday's high school graduate.

The reality of the situation is that we have moved from a family supported by one wage earner with no consumer debt to a family supported by two wage earners that is drowning in consumer debt.

Subjective evaluations of standard of living that take into account burning the furniture to stave off the approaching winter don't count.

Incidentally, just the other day I heard an advertisement for the '50 year mortgage.'

[Dog Gone]

When I think back 50 years ago, my father had just started his family. His wife did not work because she was raising two boys. He was a physician, so he had gone well past a college education.

The family had one car, eventually having two. Thirteen years later, after living in rental houses, he purchased his first home.

So maybe you have a completely different recollection of what was the norm 50 years ago, but it's far different than mine.

[hedgetrimmer]

I'm just tickled pink the Omani's can come and fly crop dusters here. Those American pilots make too much money anyway.

[1rudeboy]

Know any good Omani crop-dusting firms? How do you think they'd fare in the American Midwest?

[hedgetrimmer]

What's good for Oman, is good for China.

China’s leading firms eye Oman’s manufacturing sector

By Palazhi Ashok Kumar

Our Special Correspondent

MUSCAT — China’s leading manufacturing companies are understood to be exploring the possibilities of establishing large manufacturing projects in Oman’s industrial cities.

A six-member Chinese business delegation yesterday visited the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates here, and evinced interest in various projects in Oman, including the manufacturing sector. The delegation has also visited the Sohar Industrial Estate, and explored opportunities. Many of the Chinese manufacturing companies are belived to be talking to Omani investors for possible joint ventures.

AGCC-China free trade agreement negotiations, sources said, are on fast track. Of late, both sides had expressed hopes that the talks would soon reach an accord. Negotiations, according to sources, are likely to be completed before the end of 2006.

Of late, China and Oman have strengthened mutual economic cooperation by jointly investing in projects. Trade between China and the Gulf states, is growing faster.

A framework agreement between AGCC and China on economic, trade, investment, and technological cooperation had been signed in July 2004 in Beijing. A step-by-step implementation process is expected to be adopted to liberalise trade between the two sides.

The two sides are now discussing various methods and means for trade expansion and promotion of trade liberalisation and the FTA negotiations with India is also entering a substantive stage.

China, according to sources, is believed to be the third largest trading partner of the Gulf, after the US and Japan. The AGCC-China FTA, if materialised, will considerably reduce tariffs, simplify the flow of goods and facilitate mutual investments.

The FTA will also lay a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation between China and the Gulf. Technically, the agreement will give a big boost to mutual cooperation in the field of energy. In the six-member Arab Gulf states, including Oman, there is enormous demand for Chinese garments, fabrics, electronic and telecommunication products. The Gulf’s oil, natural gas, petrochemical and other chemical products continue to attract Chinese markets.

China, which is the largest importer of Oman crude, imported more than 84 million barrels of Oman crude in 2005

[1rudeboy]

Interesting. You are in favor of ceding Oman to the Chinese (economically)? Any other areas of the world where you wish to leave the playing field?

[hedgetrimmer]

It appears you are in favor of ceding the United States to China via Oman.

[1rudeboy]

Oh, please elaborate. Let's try to navigate your logic.

[Mase]

That article you linked from Juhasz is a riot. Are you sure she's an American? Her parents?

From the article:

Bush reiterated the pledge four years later when he told the United Nations that "by expanding trade, we spread hope and opportunity to the corners of the world, and we strike a blow against the terrorists. Our agenda for freer trade is part of our agenda for a freer world."

Sounds very Reaganesque to me. Why would you have a problem with that?

I just love her bio:

Juhasz has spent her career working directly with concerned citizens, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), policy experts, [The CFR?] elected officials and the media...

Aren't you the one who is supposed to abhor NGO's? You should probably be more careful with your sources lest you be branded inconsistent.