"Much of the rhetoric... is more reflective of political maneuvering than policy,"

[Poboy]

Corporate takeover? You don't say.
What time is it? ELECTION/campaign time!


FLASHBACK TO THE CAMPAIGN-


In a joint news conference, Obama said he wants to find a way to keep his campaign pledge to toughen labor and environmental standards - and told Harper so - but stressed that nothing must disrupt the free flow of trade between neighbors.
"Now is a time where we've got to be very careful about any signals of protectionism," the president said. "Because, as the economy of the world contracts, I think there's going to be a strong impulse on the part of constituencies in all countries to see if we - they can engage in beggar-thy-neighbor policies."

The president's message served as a reminder of last year's private assessment by Canadian officials that then-candidate Obama's frequent criticisms of NAFTA were nothing more than campaign speeches aimed at chasing support among Rust Belt union workers. "Much of the rhetoric that may be perceived to be protectionist is more reflective of political maneuvering than policy," the Canadians concluded in a memo after meeting with Austan Goolsbee, a senior campaign aide and now a member of Obama's Council of Economic Advisers. When the memo became public, Obama advisers rejected the idea as absurd and insisted that he was serious about changing NAFTA. Obama even suggested that the United States might opt out of NAFTA if the standards couldn't be improved to America's satisfaction.

But some longtime observers of the U.S.-Canada relationship said Obama's current position appears to confirm the impression that Canadian officials got from the meeting with Goolsbee.
"It sounds like (Goolsbee) was right," said former Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci, who served as U.S. ambassador to Canada during President George W. Bush's first term. "It looks like (President Obama has) softened that quite a bit, to put it mildly."
That could anger some of Obama's staunchest labor supporters, who blame NAFTA for sending American jobs to other countries by not requiring a level playing field in the areas of labor and the environment.

---
http://articles.sfgate.com/2009-02-20/news/17190753_1_beggar-thy-neighbor-policies-austan-goolsbee-nafta

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Maybe if I don't K&R this thread

it will go away.

[Poboy]

2. haha...it was in positive territory, but has just gone negative, lol -nt

[scarletwoman]

4. Well, I fixed that -- for now, anyway.

[scarletwoman]

3. Good idea. I won't if you won't.

[hfojvt]

8. it does provide an excellent example

some claim that others are constantly bashing Obama.
The others claim, no, we are just promoting certain policies. Like here, the policy of repealing NAFTA.

Yet the theme of this article is not making an argument for how NAFTA needs to be changed. Instead it is just making a claim that Obama is a dishonest politician and then "innocently" says "this may anger the Democratic base in the rust belt". When, in fact, the whole point of the article is MEANT to anger the Democratic base in the Rust Belt.

"Either you are closing your eyes to a situation you do not wish to acknowledge, or you are not aware of the calibre of disaster indicated by the presence of a pool table in your community. Weeeellll, my friends, you got trouble. Right here in River City. Trouble with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool."

In the same way that Harold Hill could give a rat's patootie about pool, because he is just trying to stir people up so they will buy band instruments. In the same way, the writes of this article, are trying to stir up working people to get mad so they will not work or vote to defeat Republicans.

But you go right ahead and help them, if that makes you somehow feel superior to people who want to defeat Republicans.

[JDPriestly]

18. Are you claiming that Obama's policy on NAFTA is coherent

much less honest?

Why bother to defeat Republicans if the Democrat you elect just continues all the Republican policies? Why bother to vote at all? Isn't it up to Obama and Democrats to give traditional Democrats a reason to vote?

Destroying the American labor movement by maintaining NAFTA and allowing outsourcing and importing to swallow American jobs is not traditional Democratic policy. Obama is not a traditional Democrat. I'm a traditional Democrat. I am utterly disappointed in Obama. I believe in trade unions, in fair trade not free trade. I believe that work should be respected an well compensated. I believe that the American government should represent the interests of the American people not those of the Indian or Chinese or Saudi Arabian people when the interests of the people in those countries harm Americans.

That is why I criticize Obama and will continue to do so. I am a Democrat, not an Obamacrat.

[hfojvt]

19. Does a Democrat really think this?

"Why bother to defeat Republicans?"

Because that is certainly what Republicans want you, and others, to think.

Here's a blast from the past, showing that I have never been an Obamacrat http://journals.democraticunderground.com/hfojvt/43

and another http://journals.democraticunderground.com/hfojvt/5

I am in agreement with moving the country to the left, and also in agreement that Obama is not doing a good job of that, but before you jump on an "I hate Obama" or "I hate Democrats" bandwagon, you might wanna ask yourself why/ Why is an article from Feb 2009 that talks about how dishonest Obama is being posted this close to an election? Why does somebody want me to think there is no point to defeating Republicans? Am I being played?

I think you are, and that when the bell rings, you don't have to salivate.

[Fumesucker]

5. K&R

:evilgrin:

[scarletwoman]

6. I'm shocked! Shocked, I tells ya!

Things are only going to get worse and worse for the working class. I wonder how far down the Owners think they can press us? Unfortunately, I think we're going to find out.

sw

[Jackpine Radical]

10. Well, the first thing on their hit list was a liberal education

so I guess it serves them right if they haven't read their Machiavelli on how to maintain power by not letting the peasants sink into desperation.

[Marr]

12. Look south. This country is heading towards Mexico.

The worst thing about the situation in Mexico isn't the vast disparity of wealth and the completely rigged political system-- it's the hopelessness you hear from the average person. Most of the people I've talked to there just accept the situation as the natural, unchangeable order of things.

We've had the disparity and essential disenfranchisement for a long time, and we're getting more hopeless with each political cycle.

[Bitwit1234]

7. People like Palin and Angle and Bachmann and such keep talking about a

revolution...they don't know how close they are to the truth. I think the real Americans in this country, are going to start a PEACEFUL REVOLUTION and they are going to take our country back, from the tea bags, the lying politic ans, the radicals, the racists, the republicans and especially the corporate republican lying media.

[Poboy]

9. Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008

Clinton and Obama vow to reopen NAFTA
Both Democrats make commitment in final debate before next week's crucial primaries


Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would withdraw the United States from the North American free trade agreement with six months notice after becoming president, unless the deal were completely renegotiated.
The Democrats made the commitment Tuesday at the final debate before next Tuesday's Texas and Ohio primaries.
Both candidates have been highly critical of the trade deal, saying it has cost thousands of Americans their jobs.

Asked whether she would inform Canada and Mexico that the U.S. government was activating the six-month opt-out clause under which any country can leave the deal, Ms. Clinton replied: “I've said that I will renegotiate NAFTA, so obviously we'd have to say to Canada and Mexico that that's exactly what we're going to do; … we will opt out of NAFTA unless we renegotiate it.”

Ms. Clinton would demand new environmental and labour provisions as well as a new dispute-resolution mechanism, and she would eliminate the right of foreign firms to sue Washington for enacting measures to protect its workers.
All those demands would be negotiated with Canada and Mexico while the six-month opt-out clock ticked.
“I'm confident that as president, when I say we will opt out unless we renegotiate, that we will be able to renegotiate,” Ms. Clinton said.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/archives/article670373.ece

[Jackpine Radical]

11. You're just a trouble maker.

And I'm not going to rec this thread. (Can't anyway because it tells me I already did).

I'm also not gonna kick it.

So there.

[Panaconda]

13. Certainly

the irony of Obama speaking out against corporate control of political campaigns is not lost on everyone is it?

Obama has always been about big money. He's not the only one:


Democrats Rake In Record Donations From Corporations
Obama's Outrage Over Corporate Influence Overlooked A Record Fundraising Haul

During his State of the Union address, President Obama decried the potential for a crush of corporate money – even foreign money – to enter the American political system in the aftermath of the recent landmark Supreme Court ruling that alters who can contribute to candidates.

But tax forms recently made public show that Democrats have not been immune from collecting corporate funds to help its politicians gain an electoral edge. The Democratic Governors Association vacuumed up $11.6 million in contributions -- mostly from corporations and unions -- during the second half of 2009. For the year, DGA raised $23.1 million, a record.

The contributors included hefty checks from nearly every top lobbying firm in Washington, and from such multi-national giants as Exxon Mobil, which pitched in $50,000. The DGA even accepted funds from the American subsidiaries of companies with foreign ownership. More than $25,000, for instance, came from Diagio, the giant European liquor producer that makes Guiness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker and other major brands, which is based in London.

<snip>

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/democrats-rake-record-donations-corporations/story?id=9777742

[Radical Activist]

14. Why are you posting a story that's over 1 1/2 years old?

Especially since the article doesn't support the headline.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Radical Activist]

16. "US files labor rights case against Guatemala"

Hey look, it's a current article that doesn't rely on gossip and second hand speculation like the one you posted.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h24HoyOpgjZxcyH9gE_n_eEjp_SA

Jul 30, 2010

WASHINGTON — The United States announced Friday it would file a case against Guatemala for apparent labor rights violations under a central American free trade agreement.

This is the first labor case the United States has ever brought against a trade agreement partner, President Barack Obama's top trade official said.

"Today, I am announcing that the Obama administration will file a case against Guatemala under our trade agreement with Central America and the Dominican Republic, for apparent violations of obligations on labor rights," US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a speech in Pennsylvania.

He said the case would send "a strong message" to US trading partners to protect their own workers and that the Obama administration "will not tolerate labor violations that place US workers at a disadvantage."

"We are prepared to enforce the full spectrum of American trade rights from labor to the environment," he said.

[Radical Activist]

17. For First Time Ever, U.S. Moves to Enforce Labor Rules in Trade Deal

Yes, that is change I can believe in.

http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/08/03/for-first-time-ever-u-s-moves-to-enforce-labor-rules-in-trade-deal/

The U.S. Labor Department announced on Friday the United States will request consultations with Guatemala’s government under the labor chapter of the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). This is the first such action by any U.S. administration against a trading partner.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a statement that the announcement “demonstrates the strong commitment of the Obama administration to enforcing our trade laws, including the obligation to respect workers’ rights.”