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Free-trade pacts aren't helping U.S.

Jack Cumberland
Oakland Park
Posted August 16 2005

Have we forgotten? NAFTA came first, under which a foreign tribunal was able to override U.S. laws and give Mexican trucks access to all U.S. highways. Now we have the Congress-approved Central American Free Trade Agreement that integrates our prosperous economy with the poverty of six Central American countries. Add more alphabet soup and we have the pending FTAA -- Free Trade Area of the Americas.

They all intend to follow the same path pushing for full integration of the 34 countries of the Western Hemisphere. It's important to remember that the socialistic European Union was initially sold to the European public as a "free trade" area as well.

"'Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world." -- George Washington (1776)

"Commerce with all nations, alliance with none should be our motto." -- Thomas Jefferson (1799)