Free Republic

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use. Proponents of so-called "free" trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which I opposed, have long promised endless riches for U.S. workers, farmers, businesses and economy. They've been wrong on all counts. Failed U.S. trade policies have led to the export of millions of high-paying American jobs; decline in U.S. living standards; soaring trade deficits; and a significant erosion of U.S. sovereignty to international trade bureaucrats. Despite this unbroken record of failure, the House is expected to vote before August on an agreement the Bush administration negotiated to...

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits rose a sharper-than-expected 16,000 last week, reflecting temporary layoffs in the factory and service sectors, the Labor Department said on Thursday. First-time claims for state unemployment insurance benefits rose to 336,000 in the week ended July 9, their highest point since late May, from a revised 320,000 in the prior week, the department said. Wall Street economists had expected initial claims to rise to just 325,000 from the original reading of 319,000 in the week ended July 2....