Obama tells (Mexican President Felipe) Calderón he wants to 'upgrade' NAFTA

[sabra]

Source: The Dallas Morning News

WASHINGTON – Barack Obama told Mexican President Felipe Calderón on Monday that he wants to "upgrade" NAFTA, serving notice that he hasn't abandoned a campaign pledge that irritated Mexico while appeasing union voters.

It was Obama's first meeting with a foreign leader since his election, and he used it to pledge more help in Mexico's violent drug war, and to keep pushing for an overhaul in U.S. immigration policy that would both secure the border and make it easier for workers to come north for jobs.

"We have such an extraordinary relationship between our two countries, one that my intention is to make stronger," Obama said after the lunch meeting at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington.

"The more secure Mexico is, the more secure the U.S. will be," said Calderón, who met later with congressional leaders and meets today for a final session with President George W. Bush.

Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/011309dnpolobamamexico.72a6be.html

[awoke_in_2003]

1. "a campaign pledge that irritated Mexico"

I am going to say this plainly and succinctly- FUCK MEXICO. It is time to scrap NAFTA, and the Mexican government needs to learn how to start taking care of its own problems.

[Captain Hilts]

3. We're losing jobs to China and Indonesia, not Mexico. nt

[awoke_in_2003]

4. We are not losing as many jobs to Mexico...

now that CAFTA is in place we can find even cheaper labor. Oh, and I am all for reversing Nixon's biggest mistake- opening of trade relations with China.

[awoke_in_2003]

6. We are losing jobs to Mexico...

but they are jobs that are right here, in this country. Because we refuse to enforce our own laws. Wealth distribution in Mexico makes ours look fair. Very few rich, and a whole bunch of poor. So, of course, they come here to get a job. So we act as a pressure vent for Mexico. If there were no jobs for them here, pressure would build, people have to eat. The government would have to reform or face revolution. But, since we won't enforce our laws, they will keep coming here, driving down our wages, and producing what the big money men want- destruction of the middle class in the US.

[customerserviceguy]

2. I hope Obama included discussions with Calderon

on how he needs to keep his identity fraud 'workers' away from our infrastructure rebuilding stimulus package.

[awoke_in_2003]

7. don't count on it...

Mexico won't fix their problems, it is easier for them to just let the people come here.

[acmavm]

5. 'Upgrade'? Oh Barack, you're just so reeee-dic-uuuu-lous!

[Romulox]

8. After all the duplicity, I don't trust Obama on NAFTA. Look for the status quo not to be disturbed.