Senate passes free trade agreement with Jordan { ARE THEY NUTS}

http://www.nj.com/ ^ | 9/24/01 5:39 PM | By JIM ABRAMS

[JasonC]

The Palestinians looked on Jordan as their homeland enough that the PLO attempted to seize power there by armed rebellion in 1970. They were shot down by troops loyal to the king, especially an elite armor brigade known as the Arab Legion. Over 5000 were killed. The PLO fled to Lebanon, reestablishing its headquarters in Beruit, where it remained until the 1982 Israeli invasion. After which the PLO headquarters fled to Tunisia, in an evacuation protected by US Marines, who intervened between the two sides. PLO headquarters remained in Tunis until the negotiated establishment of the Palestinian Authority in the 1990s - a negotiation brokered by the US.

Israel has often sought a greater role for Jordan in governing the Palestinians of the territories, as an alternative to Arafat. But Jordan is wary of increasing the number of potentially disloyal subjects under the monarchy. The Hashemite tribe around which the regime is based are a small minority in the country as it is, and would be even more outnumbered if the territories were (re)added to Jordan. As neither Israel nor Jordan really wants to rule the inhabitants of the territories, because they are certain or likely to engage in rebellion under the control of either, both have permitted the creation of the PA to administer the territories.

[JasonC]

Thanks for the details.

[CIBvet]

"...free trade does not hurt the American worker and benefits us all."

It may sound good, but like the proverbial 'free lunch', Free Trade is not Free.

If an American factory pays 500 workers an average of $8.00 an hour that’s $4000 an hour or $32,000 a day, which is $640,000 a month (20 day work month), or $7,680,000 ($7.6mil) a year.

Of course this does not include, health, social security and retirement benefits, nor does it include safety and pollution measures mandated by our government which more than double that amount/labor cost.

However, if the factory moves to Indonesia or Communist China or Mexico, OR JORDAN etc. and pays 500 workers .25 cents an hour, the total wages become $125.00 an hour, $1000 a day, $20,000 a month, or $240,000 a year, with NO benefits & NO government oversight.

This leaves CEO’$/Corp$. well over $7,440,000 ($7.4m) to play with. Most of this windfall goes straight into management’s/Corporate/CEO’s pocket !!!

********************************************

Now do you understand why ‘Predatory’ Glo-Baloney Capitalists on Wall Street are doing so well these days, and why these GREEDY Corps. and their lapdog politicians will do/say anything to hang onto THEIR Free Trade Money-Pump.

Desperate Children, Prison & Slave Workers get exploited in the 3rd World --
Decent Paying Jobs & secure families & communities & our National Sovereignty are disposable in the U.S.

Hypertexted from the Original Publication by: CITIZENS FOR BETTER GOVERNMENT --- http://www.afn.org/~govern/index.html

[dr_who]

A nation willing to engage in raising revenue via tariffs rather than gouging the incomes of its most productive citizens

Bullcrap. Consumers pay for tariffs in the form of higher prices. The most productive citizens are the ones who produce the most goods and services of the best quality with the cheapest price. But if these citizens are not willing to compete with more productive non-citizens in that effort, the citizen consumers are the ones who get "gouged".

would be a nation engaged in guarding its borders in general. We have had an open borders attitude in general, and free trade is part of that attitude.

Free trade is the aim of a free market. We do not have "open borders" as you define them, and we may never have them.

[AZPubbie]

Interesting theory, but please respond to the point that I made about wages rising in real terms post NAFTA and GATT. The truth is that free trade has increased the amount of money in the hands of the american worker at the same time that it increased the wealth of investors (what you call corporate fat cats, but what I call union pension funds, personal 401(k) accounts, etc....). It also holds down inflation on goods for which there is little value added (brooms) and allows the American economy to pursue producing things of greater worth and higher complexity (airliners, turbines for powerplants, automobiles). Keep believing the protectionist lie if you want, but the facts do not support you.

[karebare]

and little Christian boys, I might add.)

I didn't know(beyond what I know about all ped's)that they were that way. I do honestly believe we can use their culture against them.

[karebare]

I believe you.After I thought about it awhile I remembered hearing some stuff about that. I was thinking to hard about how obsessed they are with American women.And how we could use it against them.

[MadRobotArtist]

I should probably have added the words, Voted Out our Commie Pinko Socialist Oligarchs, and replace them with Republic Senators.

God I am sick of the PC, and Non threatening language movement. When you speak the truth, nobody wants to hear it. When you lie, everyone is all ears.

This is why I can't stand watching the news anymore. You have people like Dick Gephardt and Tom Daschle lying about how more laws, and more restraints, and less freedom are going to save Americans. It's a lie. All it is, is a power grab. They are grabbing as much of our civil liberties, and constitutional rights because of one sicko's master plan. Looks like the Terrorists are turning our country into theirs.

If I want to live in fear, I'll live someplace else. If I have to be careful of what I say, because some wacko out there might take it the wrong way, then I'm not in America. When you talk about getting rid of the people in office who are communists, socialists, and totalitarians, violence isn't the first thing that comes to my mind. Of course, those interested in making headlines, that is the first thing that comes to mind. Because they want to be good little communists, and show people you can't say what you want, you can't think what you want, you can't feel what you want. All in the name of public safety. It's a lie. A huge stinking lie. Nobody is safe, it's all an illusion. Just like the sovereignty of our country is quickly becoming an illusion. Just like our rights, and freedoms are quickly becoming a mere illusion.

If I wanted to live in a dream world, I didn't have to get out of bed this morning.

[DAGO]

She must be Irish. Dago WOP<WOP<WOP,hell I dont know.All I know is its an Italian.Its kinda like calling an Irish person a MIC.In the old days there was deep pregides between the Irish and the Italians.The way my Dad explained it to me was because the Irish came to this country first and could speak English so they had all the good jobs.Just goes to show raceism has affected EVERYONE. I am 2nd generation American,thats my road name for the club.I ride with an M/C.That stuff dont bother me,the way I figure it if you dont let it bother you it aint no big deal.And besides I LOVE IRISH WOMAN,Fisty and Pretty.

[karebare]

I 've heard I'm a bit Scotish. No tellin what else,my relatives have never really gone very far into our history with me. What ever it is in my blood runs on the hot side. Grama is a little wild too!!She says some other stuff she won't explain like bohunk . I figure that one is a$$hole, I hope. Every time she does one of them in public I tell her I'm going to have to get her out of jail this time .She just says I owe her. Motorcycles are fun!!I do mountain bikes quite often.