Jan Herron
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Desperate Housemembers
By Jan Herron
Aug 2, 2005, 13:39

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That President George Bush found 217 traitors to vote "YES" on CAFTA is truly appalling. The voting passed a so-called "free trade agreement" by a razor-thin margin. Only a "malfunction" in the electronic voting system and the unexpected absence of another due to thunderstorms in Northern Virgina, prevented the tie vote that would have prevented CAFTA's passage. What a coincidence that both "hindered" votes fell into the "NO" category.
That CAFTA was voted and passed literally in the dark of night is no coincidence, it's what would be expected for legislation that spells the destruction of America.

CAFTA will produce more exporting of American jobs to third-world countries and higher American unemployment. That an American President and a majority of the House and Senate vote for such an outrage is deplorable.

Also ludicrous are the claims that CAFTA will benefit Americans. Costa Rica, the CAFTA country with the highest annual per capita income is $9,000, half the US poverty level income of $18,000. Other CAFTA countries (El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, and the Dominican Republic) have even lower incomes, with one or two as low as $2000 or $3000. How can any sane legislator believe such countries will benefit Americans? These countries don't even benefit themselves!

For once, Democrats voted the right way in overwhelmingly voting "NO" on CAFTA, and they deserve the applause of working Americans. Only 15 Democrats defected to the GOP by voting "YES."

CAFTA will only produce loss of more American workers' jobs. That 217 legislators (primarily Republicans) followed their misguided party leader George Bush in voting for CAFTA. Had only two voted "NO," a tie vote would have defeated the terrible legislation.

Since CAFTA narrowly passed the Senate earlier in July, CAFTA now becomes law.

Congress and the President simply cannot continue to deprive poor Americans of opportunities for earning a decent living. Our Government is shirking its primary and sacred responsibility in not "promoting" American citizens' well-being. Americans are tiring of these Congressional backroom shams and arm-twisting we observe on C-Span. They've had it with Desperate Housemembers who find no pork-barrel trade too unethical.

Jan Herron can be reached at JanHerron@Comcast.net.


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