"World stability "could take major steps backward" if CAFTA is defeated"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

As the vote approaches, there have been warnings that the fragile Central American democracies could slip back into the turmoil of the recent past if denied this economic partnership with the United States.

America's position as the leader in promoting world stability "could take major steps backward" if CAFTA is defeated, said Rep. Kevin Brady , R-Texas, a leading proponent of the pact. "That's a pretty compelling argument." "Failure is not an option for us," said Matt Niemeyer, assistant U.S. trade representative for congressional affairs. "The implications of defeat are so much larger than the economic impact of CAFTA."

They also argue that U.S. exports to the region, now about $15 billion annually, would go up because CAFTA eliminates tariffs and other barriers to U.S. products, that U.S. intellectual property would be better protected and American investment would be facilitated. They say CAFTA is essential if the United States is to advance a far larger Western Hemisphere free trade accord and other international negotiations to open markets.

And yet, anti-CAFTA passions are intense. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that 90 percent to 95 percent of Democrats will vote against it. They believe the agreement doesn't adequately protect worker rights in the impoverished region and previous trade agreements have helped send jobs out of this country. Democrats and organized labor compare CAFTA to NAFTA, the free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada that many blame for job losses.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,163534,00.html

[wli]

1. i.e. Bush will bomb Central America until it ratifies CAFTA

[habitual]

2. First Thing I Thought Also

When they make statements like that it means: Do as we want or we will destabalize the region and make bad things happen there to get our way.

All cloaked in making the world a better place of course.

[niceypoo]

8. World stability took 3 steps backward

when Bush* invaded Iraq. Just ask any Londoner or Spaniard.

[sendero]

3. I'm going to hold my breath..

.... until I turn blue. The typical Republican approach to those who disagree with them.

[jojo54]

4. Republicans = backwards.

They want to send us all back to the depression days....no unions (so to speak), no money (except for the already rich and the powerful), trading chickens for a doctor's visit, everybody working their asses off for little pay (oh wait, that's the way it is now!) and saving "pin" money to buy baby a new pair of shoes (no forget that....there's no "pin" money, so use newspaper to patch the hole in the bottom of your shoe).

[kodi]

5. meaning banking profits rise while industrial workers languish

Central America will become a staging area for transfers of commodities from the Pacific Rim nations thus skirting tariffs for Far East commodities. already Chinese companies are purchasing Central American companies so they can transfer products from their Chinese factories into inventory in Central America.

the only thing that happens is that banks make money on investments to Central American nations to build infrastructure, that allows greater efficiency of Central American companies that lower costs for manufacturing, that results in lower prices for commodity items that forces US companies to be more competitive, that means lowering wages, or go out of business entirely.... all supported by the guarantees on the loans by the US taxpayers.

its nothing but a scheme by banks to invest money at no risk, all the while the investments of the US banks undermines the US manufacturing base.

if an enemy nation of the US wanted to hurt us without engaging in military conflict, this is exactly the way they would do it with the least risk.

[1932]

6. I'm very happy to read this:

"the agreement doesn't adequately protect worker rights in the impoverished region"

It's a good thing when Democrats realize that screwing workers abroad just serves to screw people who make money from their labor all over the world, including in the US, and accelarates the concentration of wealth among people who make money from other people's labor.

[warrens]

7. They're desperate

A lot of special interests assumed this trade deal was a done deal. If it loses, it will be a major black eye for Smirkco and will totally doom FTAA (which is probably dead anyway)and the WTO agreement that has been stalled for about a decade.

The plain truth is that Central America doesn't have the money to buy our stuff. And cutting all tariffs will mean that a lot jobs are going to be exported, and workers in those countries are going to be forced off farms and into sweatshops.