Thread: We Need DR-CAFTA by DAVID DREIER

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Opinion


We Need DR-CAFTA


Guest Column by DAVID DREIER

This summer, Congress has a historic opportunity to advance democracy, secure the United States against burgeoning threats, and help American families. It won't require deploying troops or establishing government-sponsored jobs programs. One simple vote in Congress will help us achieve these goals: a vote to enact the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).

After decades of civil war, coups, and Communist insurgencies, democratically-elected leaders are governing the Dominican Republic and Central American countries, and these leaders are united in their support of DR-CAFTA. Nicaraguan President Enrique Bolanos recently argued that DR-CAFTA is "a chance to lock in the democratic future for Central America." That is why defeating the agreement has been a primary goal of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Cuba's Fidel Castro as they seek greater influence in our region. Enacting DR-CAFTA is critical to our national security and an opportunity to show that the United States remains committed to Ronald Reagan's vision for democracy and peace in this hemisphere.

DR-CAFTA also presents incredible economic opportunities for middle income families and workers here at home. Nearly all products from DR-CAFTA countries enter the United States duty-free, but the U.S. still pays hefty tariffs on the products we export to Central America. DR-CAFTA will eliminate tariffs on U.S. goods, allowing small businesses and other exporters to use those dollars to create new, high-paying jobs.

Expanding trade means more money in the pockets of American consumers. For the first ten years of NAFTA, the U.S. economy created 20 million new jobs and real hourly wages grew 14 percent, giving American consumers greater purchasing power. In fact, NAFTA's income gains and tariff eliminations have resulted in an annual economic gain of $930 per year for every American family.

The most overlooked benefit of DR-CAFTA is that it will help the U.S. and Central America unite to compete with China. Barriers to trade are sending thousands of Central American textile and manufacturing jobs to China, where labor is cheaper. If jobs continue to drain out of Central America, unemployed Central American immigrants are sure to seek economic opportunity in the United States. DR-CAFTA will ensure these jobs stay here and secure economic prosperity in our own backyard, reducing illegal immigration and the U.S.-China trade imbalance. In fact, a study by the U.S. International Trade Commission recently found that DR-CAFTA will reduce our overall trade deficit by $756 million.

DR-CAFTA is a win-win for businesses, workers and consumers in the United States and Central America. It deserves our enthusiastic support.

Republican David Dreier represents California's 26th Congressional District, which includes La Cañada Flintridge.

WOWIE ZOWIE--can this guy lie good or what!

DR-CAFTA = DR. EVIL!!

The only thing that CAFTA is going to do vis a vis China is to give them a back door into the US. They will simply ship their junk to Central America and then on into the US.

We need CAFTA like we need another hole in our proverbial heads. We will put David Dreier on our "list". Another traitor to our cause.

Have y'all noticed how the administration gets real defensive when China's threats come up?? They are REALLY playing down their threats. It's also like they are AFRAID to FORCE China to play fair in their trade markets.

You're right Bootsie. Something is not right there between this Administration and China. Not right at all.

I'll be calling this person later today. I think he is a little mis-guided.

David Drier is just another stooge of Jorge Bush. Before Bush, like alot of Republicans, he use to be very good on the immigration issue. His record was like a solid B. But when Bush took over his record on imigration took a serious nose dive. Coincidence? I think not. He'll do whatever Bush wants him to do. He's been in office for 26 years as well. Too long if you ask me. He almost got voted out of office last election and would have if not for deceiving absentee voters into voting for him before the election before those voters had a chance to figure out what he was doing. Most of those absentee voters who voted for him later expressed regret for voting for him when they found out the truth about him. Drier barely got 54 percent of the vote in a heavily Republican district that usually votes him in at an 80 percent clip. That's pathetic. Plus John and Ken (from the John and Ken radio show) have put a target on him to oust him in 2006 and are working on getting a strong Republican to oust him in the primaries. So he's vulnerable.

So just add this to the number of reasons to kick this bum out of office in 2006.

What did they call such folks during the American Revolutionary War?

Aaaah yes...."Turn Coats".

Throw the Bum Out!!

I also heard, this AM, that China--out of the clear blue--has decided to do something about their currency problem. I'm not an economist so I'm not really sure what they mean by "pegging the dollar" but I've been hearing Lou Dobbs rant about that for months. SO, it SEEMS to be a good sign that China is doing this BUT I would bet there are ulterior motives. I do NOT TRUST CHINA.

Are they making a deal with the Administration to allow the sale of UNOCAL?

Unocal announced that it was accepting the offer made by Chevron for a lot less money but China is NOT going to take that lying down. They are still pushing a hostile buy-out and Lou Dobbs interview Treasury Sec. Snow last night and HE feels like we should sit back and let the markets take care of it so I ASSUME the administration is not going to BLOCK the sale if Unocal decides to take China's offer.