Thread: CAFTA: HOW ELECTED OFFICIALS BETRAYED AMERICA

CAFTA: HOW ELECTED OFFICIALS BETRAYED AMERICA


By Pastor Chuck Baldwin

August 5, 2005

NewsWithViews.com

Most of us are aware that Congress has passed and President Bush has signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) into law. CAFTA is the latest in a series of international trade agreements to which the United States has committed itself.

Sold to Congress as promoting "free trade," international agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and now CAFTA are actually huge compromises of American sovereignty and independence for the benefit of wealthy international corporations.

Consider that since President Bill Clinton and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole collaborated to pass NAFTA, nearly 400 manufacturing plants have been closed, tens of thousands of American jobs have been exported overseas, and the American people are now strapped with a gargantuan federal trade deficit. But that is just the beginning!

NAFTA and CAFTA are precursors for an even more egregious "trade agreement" called The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). FTAA would, in effect, all but erase our national borders, establish a European Union (EU)-style international government, and even pave the way for a multinational currency.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that many of the mostly Republican members of the House of Representatives who voted for CAFTA knew they were defying the will of the majority of their constituents and were passing legislation dangerous to America's very security.

Consider the words of my own Congressman, Jeff Miller. Jeff is a conservative Republican representing the First Congressional District of Florida. Before his initial election to Congress, I interviewed Jeff on my radio talk show. He forthrightly articulated his opposition to NAFTA and similar trade deals. In that interview he said, "NAFTA itself may be the death-knell of American agriculture."

In a letter to a constituent dated June 1, 2005, Congressman Miller said, "I do not believe CAFTA is good for Florida." He further said, "CAFTA is an outsourcing agreement."

Miller went on to say, "CAFTA will be a market for 'turnaround' exports-products shipped south for assembly and then final sale in the U.S.- particularly textiles and semiconductors. Fabric will be sent to the region, stitched into final apparel and home furnishing products, and shipped right back to the United States. That's not traditional job-creating exports at all. Rather than servicing new foreign markets, these 'exports' serve the same domestic market U.S.-based factories once supplied. The only difference: American workers are removed from the equation. Due to Central American turnaround trade that currently exists, the U.S. trade deficit with CAFTA-6 countries rose nearly 60 percent from 1997-2004."

Congressman Miller then said, "Still further, at a time when the U.S. is rapidly outsourcing both its service and manufacturing jobs, CAFTA will make it illegal for any state or federal agency to adopt a 'Buy American' policy."

Sounds pretty convincing, doesn't it? It should. Everything Miller said is true. But guess what? In spite of everything he said, Jeff Miller voted for CAFTA! Yes, my friends, after rightly outlining many of the dangers and draconian elements to CAFTA, he turned right around and voted for it! How could he do this? How could he betray his home district, his state, and even his own conscience?

You can rest assured that Jeff Miller was not the only Congressman to sell out America's workers and farmers (not to mention our sovereignty and security). The arm-twisting that went on behind the scenes smacks of all that's wrong and rotten in Washington, D.C.

According to Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX), "Leaving aside the arguments for or against CAFTA itself, the process by which the bill ultimately passed should sicken every American who believes in representative government."

Paul continued, "Yet even after months of unprecedented wheeling and dealing by corporate lobbyists, congressional leaders, and the White House, the Washington establishment still failed to pass CAFTA in the U.S. House. That's right, when the 15-minute voting period expired last Wednesday evening, CAFTA seemingly had been defeated. But pro-CAFTA forces were so determined to get what they wanted, they broke the rules. House leadership ignored the time limit and kept twisting arms and making deals until they finally had the votes to pass CAFTA nearly an hour later."

Ron Paul then said, "Rest assured that you will pay dearly for these bribes used to buy votes. One of my colleagues estimated that the price tag for buying the CAFTA vote will be at least $50 billion. That's right, $50 billion to win a vote. Is that what you want from your representative in office?"



In conclusion Paul stated, "The CAFTA vote had nothing to do with the American public, or even trade policy per se. CAFTA was driven by politics and nothing more. Multinational corporations and political globalists share the same goals, namely the centralization of political power in international bodies and the diminution of national sovereignty. What we witnessed last week was not just the selling of votes, but also a sellout of American control over our own trade regulations."



There you have it. President Bush, Republican Congressional leaders, and lobbyists for multinational corporations harangued, coerced, and bullied members of Congress into passing a trade bill that compromises American independence and punishes American workers and farmers. Beyond that, they used 50 billion taxpayer dollars to do it! This isn't representative government; it is politics at its worst!

© 2005 Chuck Baldwin - All Rights Reserved

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.

Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state.

E-mail: chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com

Okay the damage been done... now we need damage control.
What can be done to reverse CAFTA?
What bills would have to be signed into law to counteract CAFTA and these special interested groups?
We fought a good fight, but we were betrayed. We cryied, yelled, and threaten, I just hope people remember this come Nov7th.
What we need now is an action plan to take our country back.
You say that states and goverment agencies can't buy America only rules anymore.... whats to stop us from boycotting anything made in Central America or Mexico ?

I'm looking for ideas here folks, there has to be a way to undo this!

I think there must be also. It's unconstitutional, it's extra-legal, and there MUST be some way that it can be voided.

RR

If we are trying to stay ahead of China in the textile industry and keep them from obtaining any markets, then why in the heck are we shooting ourselves in the foot by giving China the favorite trading nation status, or whatever the heck the status is. If they are threatening to us in an economic way, we need to defend ourselves in that manner. THE PROBLEM IS THAT OUR POLITICIANS ARE TRYING TO COMPETE WITH COMMUNISM AND ITS SWEAT SHOPS. No viable free capitalism can compete with that so the 'Can't beat em, join em' attitude they have is exposed with efforts such as the passage of CAFTA. These 'chicken do-littles' we have for president and congress should be telling China that the free world will BOYCOTT their country in every market and go head to head with them. WHY ARE WE COMPETING ON CHINA'S LEVEL??? WE CANNOT DEAL WITH TYRANTS WITH SWEATSHOPS, just like how we deal with terrorists--no negotiations. The result of dealing with China on this level is that our standard of living drops, our country has less revenue to defend itself with and as things get more desparate, politicians become even more corrupt.

Quote from the pastor:
Congressman Miller then said, "Still further, at a time when the U.S. is rapidly outsourcing both its service and manufacturing jobs, CAFTA will make it illegal for any state or federal agency to adopt a 'Buy American' policy."

We shouldn't be reverting to these tatics to in order to deal with China. There are different things our politicians could be doing to work or compete with China.

CHINA IS OUR ENEMY but if our politicians BEND instead of STANDING UP, well, good-bye America.

there is a way and it can be done, but it won't be easy. Please read this

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-7537-.html

I have since learned that Congress has received petitions from ALL 50 STATES requesting a Constitutional Convention -- Congress has refused to "call" for one, even though it's not discretionary.

contact your State Representative and Governor if you can --- we have to get the 17th Amendment repealed so the States can have a vote to protect themselves.

I've sent a proposed amendment to most of the states and have been working on another attack . . . .

if anybody wants me to send info to their rep, just email or IM me and I will . . . I'm got some contacts I'm going to try to make next week . . .

"Deo Vindice" --- "God as our Defender,"

Let me have a vote in the middle of the night and I will have ALL OF YOU IN THE ARMY IN THE MORNING. These shyster children of unwed mothers (got around that one didn't I) are scum. They don't have the gonads( a medical term) to vote in the light of the day cause bacteria does not do as well in the day. These are vermin. Scum. Parasites. You get the picture.

the 17th amendment was not properly ratified -- it is unconstitutional, and accordingly, every act of the Senate -- treaties, confirmation of judges, NAFTA, CAFTA, etc., since 1913 is legally void.

I wonder what Congress would do if the states simply appointed Senators to fill their seats when Congress returns to Washington . . . legally what can they do? NOTHING!!!!!!!!!