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LETTER: Opposes NAFTA, CAFTA

From: Gordon Cox, Lufkin

Sunday, June 12, 2005

Well, here we go again folks. GM has just announced that it is letting 25,000 U.S. workers go and are going to close many of their facilities here in the good old USA. Nowhere in the company CEO's statement did he mention that the company was going to cut back on production. To me, this has to mean that the jobs being lost here in this country are merely going to be transferred offshore, where workers will receive much lower wages, lower benefits, if any at all, but GM will keep their selling prices high to increase its profit margin.

Not only will there be a tremendous impact on jobs but the huge loss of tax income loss will put that loss onto the working citizen of this country. I, as an American citizen, no longer do business with any company that has shifted a large portion of its manufacturing or service organization offshore, and I highly recommend that all of you consider doing the same.

NAFTA should be abandoned, and CAFTA (Central America Free Trade Agreement) should not be even considered. In my opinion, because of these factors the once sought-after American dream of a decent job, home and lifestyle are rapidly going down the drain.