Posted on 03/16/2009 3:54:30 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
MEXICO CITY (AFP) — Mexico on Monday said it would place tariffs on nearly 90 US products after Washington canceled a program that allowed some trucks from Mexico to operate in the United States.
There is to be an "increase in customs duty on almost 90 industrial and agricultural products," Economy Minister Gerardo Ruiz Mateos said in a statement.
Ruiz said the increase would represent some 2.4 billion dollars, but did not name the products.
. . . . .
The move drew a sharp rebuke from US Senator John McCain, who said he regretted Mexico's decision and also lashed out at US President Barack Obama and lawmakers for backing "protectionist" policies.
"I deeply regret the action taken by the Mexican government and the harm it may cause to American businesses," said McCain, who lost his bid for the presidency in 2008 to Obama.
"Unfortunately, this is a predictable reaction by the Mexican government to a policy that now puts the United States in clear violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement," he added.
"We must take steps to prevent escalation of further protectionist measures -- actions that only serve to harm American business during these tough economic times when these businesses need a worldwide marketplace to prosper."
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It ain’t all about that. They have sense enough to know that you don’t destroy cornerstone domestic industries. What interest do they have in importing competition for Sony, Toyota, their shipbuilding industry, thier farmers.
And their stagnation decade has almost NOTHING to do with their protectionism. It was a real estate and financial policy failure.
The Mexican truck pilot program was suppose to be just that, a pilot program that was to have expired during the last Bush term, but he refused to terminate it. Probably as a favor to the large U.S. trucking companies that were hoping to use this program as an example for hiring Mexican truck drivers, for work in the U.S., at a much lower rate of pay. This would have allowed the companies to make a larger profit, at the expense of the U.S. drivers who would have been let go. U.S. companies expect and demand loyalty from their employees but will cut the employees throat, in a minute, for more profit.
Congress then passed legislation that de-funded the program and forbad use of Federal money to continue the program, in part, to protect U.S. truck drivers jobs.
The term trade deficit is a Marxist class warfare term. It is meant to create just the kind of foolishness we are arguing about here.
You cannot have a trade deficit. By definition any trade without coercion is beneficial to both parties.
My “trade deficit” with my grocer, car dealer and local hotdog stand are enormous. Those jerks never bought a thing from me, but I am happy and so are they.
We is the loss. Let’s keep ‘splaining it to them, OK?
In what way is the trade with China “staggeringly retarded “?
This is a serious question.
Is the issue fear of Mexico, Mexicans, or something else?
We have allowed a communist enemy to go from ass backwards hell hole to having one of the most lethal militaries on the planet.
Thank you, Mr. Biden.
Is your issue with Mexicans specifically? Or is it with the Welfare state?
It would appear that most people are concerned with the abuse of the welfare system imposed upon us by government. That part is very unfair, no?
Illegal immigration would not be so bad if prisoners had to pay their way and cover the costs of prison and bums would not have access to our money to cover their inability to manage their own lives.
You are right. The name calling is totally inappropriate.
Even our founders were not “fierce free traders”. They funded the nearly the entire government through tariffs. They also never placed foreign trade as the only holy route to liberty.
International “free trade” entanglements have put us on a rocket sled to the loss of national sovereignty. We have almost daily calls now for an international agency to regulate banking as a result of the AIG ans Subprime fraud.
Unregulated trade brought us the policy US taxpayer dollars being sent DIRECTLY to Germany and the UK. Unregulated commodity traders brought us 4 dollar gasoline.
Trade must always be subordinate to the interests of our nation.
Have you ever seen the Reagan library at Eureka College?
Given your statement you must think that trade can be managed, right?
Who would do it? Who is wise enough to do it? Trusted enough?
Was even Reagan that trustworthy and wise?
I’ve found the econ threads on FR to be amusing for over a decade. It never lets up. Big Government conservatives are an interesting breed (and I’m out in the scrub watching with binoculars).
Yes. What is wrong with Mexican trucking companies or Mexican trucks?
Sheesh!
Unregulated? You're being silly again.
Does importing food harm our agricultural base? Are sugar tariffs making Americans richer or poorer?
I’m not against mexicans. I’m against our policies of allowing unfettered illegal immigration. It just so happens that a huge proportion of illegals come across the S. border. Though mexican nationals are the majority, there are scads of chinese, s. americans, c. americans, arabs, etc that partake in the journey.
A country is not a country if it cannot control its borders. Of course, in additional to worthless National politicians, we had libtards like Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney and many others giving them aid and comfort in their sanctuary cities/states.
No, I’ve only been to the one in Simi Valley (but I got to see some portions closed to the public).
Kinda silly, but they do have a chunk of the Berlin Wall.
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