Thread: Survey: Dole only member of N.C. delegation supporting CAFTA

www.the-dispatch.com/

AP State News
June 04. 2005 12:51PM

Survey: Dole only member of N.C. delegation supporting CAFTA

The Associated Press

Sen. Elizabeth Dole is the only member of North Carolina's congressional delegation who now supports the Central America Free Trade Agreement, according to survey by The Charlotte Observer.

Three members - Republican Reps. Walter Jones and Charles Taylor and Democratic Rep. Mike McIntyre - say they will vote no.

Eight members are leaning toward a "no" vote and three say they're undecided. None said they were leaning toward supporting the bill.

The reason for the lack of support is simple, said Lloyd Wood, a spokesman for the American Manufacturers Trade Action Coalition.

"CAFTA rhymes with NAFTA, and that brings back bad memories," Wood said.

Those memories include the thousands of jobs lost in North Carolina in the 11 years since NAFTA went into effect. Some blame the free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada for the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs.

The White House and other CAFTA supporters are concerned, evidenced by their lobbying. Last week, Rep. Robin Hayes, R-N.C., got a visit from Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez.

Ambassadors from five of the six Latin American countries that are party to the agreement recently visited the office of Rep. Howard Coble, R-N.C.

And a dozen corporate lobbyists, all black and all pro-CAFTA, have reportedly turned their attentions to members of the Congressional Black Caucus, which is headed by Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C.

CAFTA would give U.S. companies greater access to markets by ending import taxes on U.S. goods ranging from construction equipment to cars and jeans. The pact would also eliminate the few remaining U.S. duties on exports from the six other countries that are part of the agreement: Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

CAFTA opponents say it would hemorrhage more jobs to Central America, where the cost of doing business is less.

"It's a fluid situation," said Hayes, who said he's leaning toward a "no" vote. "It's all planning and organizational work until the sound goes off telling you it's time to go over and vote."

The National Council of Textile Organizations has endorsed CAFTA. But other textile industry groups continue to oppose it, including the American Manufacturers Trade Action Coalition, which represents 150 textile and apparel companies.

Jones has even helped start a House and Senate caucus against CAFTA, saying at a recent news conference that its approval would cost jobs and give China another locale from which to flood the U.S. market.

According to the Observer survey, these members are leaning no: Republican Sen. Richard Burr; Republican Reps. Robin Hayes, Patrick McHenry, Virginia Foxx and Howard Coble; Democratic Reps. David Price, G.K. Butterfield and Brad Miller.

Those undecided are Republican Rep. Sue Myrick and Democratic Reps. Mel Watt and Bob Etheridge.

---

Information from: The Charlotte Observer,

and she will not responed to emails about illegal immigrations.

Charles, if you call you can speak to her aids and give them an earful. She'll get the message. I'm calling again on Monday. I called last week about McCain Kennedy. Lay it on the line. We need to have our whole ALIPAC GROUP call Elizabeth Dole. We also need to get a copy of that letter someone posted about the US Chamber "sweet-talkin' her".

In fact, we ought to get THAT to the Press like the Charlotte Observer.

Wonder what that "sweettalk" consisted of?!?!?!