Thread: Bush vows vigorous enforcement of U.S. trade laws

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtm ... ID=8492176

Sat May 14, 2005 10:35 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush called on Congress on Saturday to approve a controversial free-trade pact with Central America and sought to assure Americans that U.S. trade laws will be "vigorously" enforced.

Bush will hold a White House swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday for U.S. Trade Representative Robert Portman.

"He will make sure we vigorously enforce the trade laws on the books, while also working to continue opening foreign markets to American crops and products," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

The U.S.-Central American Free Trade Agreement is by far the most controversial of the six free-trade agreements Bush has negotiated since taking office in 2001.

Labor unions are fighting the agreement on the grounds that its protections for workers rights aren't strong enough. Environmentalists, another important constituency groups for Democrats, have raised their own concerns.

"This agreement would help the new democracies in our hemisphere deliver better jobs and higher labor standards to their workers, and it would create a more level playing field for American goods and services," Bush countered.

Earlier this week Bush promised the leaders of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and the Dominican Republic that he would fight for congressional approval of the trade pact.

An aide to Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said the pact does not appear to have votes in the House or the Senate to pass.

Bush also urged Congress on Saturday to send him a final energy package before the August congressional recess.

With oil prices soaring, energy policy has vaulted to the top of Bush's economic agenda, and he will visit West Point, Virginia on Monday to tout "the benefits of biodiesel" and other alternative fuels.

The White House wants to see oil prices fall by about half to around $25 a barrel although reaching that goal may take time, Bush's top economic adviser, Allan Hubbard, told Reuters on Wednesday.

© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.

Americans don't want any more of this trade agreement crap that takes our jobs, reduces our wages, reduces our standard of living, increases imigration, and in the end doesn't make a hills bean of difference for the countries we are "helping".

If multi-national companies aren't satisfied with serving the People of the United States as their primary customer through legal, moral and ethical business practices that promote our Nation rather than end it, then these companies can strike us from their list of customers and go elsewhere for 100% of their market share and 100% of the profit.

In other words, Mr. President, they can stick it where the sun don't shine.

You blundered Mr. President with your "vow" yesterday. What you should have vowed was to "vigorously enforce" US Immigration Law, US Labor Law and US Civil Rights Law on behalf of the American People, by whom you were elected and who pay you every month to represent them.

NO WAY ON CAFTA, NAFTA, TA TA TA TA.....

We're done with this crap.

Adios Mr. President!!

Get that "limo" gassed up!!

You blundered Mr. President with your "vow" yesterday. What you should have vowed was to "vigorously enforce" US Immigration Law, US Labor Law and US Civil Rights Law on behalf of the American People, by whom you were elected and who pay you every month to represent them.

Well Said Judy.


By the way Keep calling on the members of congress.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtm ... ID=8492176

Two of the American textile industry’s top lobby groups took opposing sides on Monday, in the debate over US Congressional approval of a free trade agreement with six Central American and Caribbean countries .As America's textile industry reels from a deluge of Chinese textile imports. The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) declared its support for the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), at a time when many Members of Congress are believed to oppose any further free trade agreements, at a time when America's trade deficit with the rest of the world is expanding.