Thread: McCain hails benefits of free trade for Colombians

McCain hails benefits of free trade for Colombians
By BETH FOUHY
Associated Press
July 3, 2008

CARTAGENA, Colombia (AP) -- John McCain hailed the economic benefits of free trade to Colombians Wednesday, raising the possibility of an eventual hemispheric-wide agreement even though a weak economy at home has soured many U.S. voters on trade agreements.

The GOP presidential nominee-in-waiting also toured Colombia's largest port by speedboat to review the country's U.S.-backed drug interdiction programs, a day after he praised President Alvaro Uribe for Colombia's anti-drug efforts but pressed him to improve the government's record on human rights.

McCain was in the country when Colombia freed Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. military contractors from leftist guerrillas, but he didn't learn of the rescue until he was aboard a flight to Mexico. Uribe called McCain to inform him of the success.

"He told me some of the details of the rescue, the dramatic details," McCain told reporters. "It's a very high-risk operation. I congratulate President Uribe, the military and the nation of Colombia."

The Arizona senator got in several plugs for a proposed U.S.-Colombian Free Trade Agreement his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, opposes, suggesting the tariffs imposed on American goods now exported to Colombia would disappear under the agreement -- creating jobs in the United States instead.

McCain was also promoting NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he has said would benefit the U.S. economy over time. Such agreements have been deeply unpopular in several general election swing states like Ohio and Michigan.

And he said such trade agreements should be broadened to include other countries.

"I would like to see a hemispheric free trade agreement," McCain said at a news conference here. "I would like to see our continued assistance to countries like Colombia."

Protectionist sentiment at home is worrisome "because history shows that isolationism and protectionism has very unpleasant consequences," McCain said.

But he added: "I am committed to getting every single American displaced from his or her job because of foreign competition ... a new job and a better future."

Obama, who was speaking in Las Vegas to the United Steel Workers annual conference, said trade should work for all Americans and that it was a mistake for the U.S. to open its markets without asking other countries to open theirs.

In remarks aimed at McCain's trade stance, Obama said: "It's not change when he offers four more years of trade agreements that are written by and for corporate lobbyists, agreements that don't protect our workers, don't protect our environment, and ignore the plight of workers abroad. That isn't change."

McCain wrapped up a visit to Colombia and was headed to Mexico on a two-day Latin American swing he insisted was not intended to be political.

McCain began the day visiting a Colombian naval hospital, where he handed out awards to service members wounded by improvised explosive devices.

Touring the Port of Cartagena, McCain rode a boat operated by the Colombian Navy but paid for by U.S. funds under Plan Colombia, a ten year, $5 billion effort to stem the flow of cocaine and other drugs out of the country. The fleet of boats, dubbed the Midnight Express, patrol the port day and night, intercepting other boats suspected of carrying illegal drugs out of the port.

"There is a long way to go to stem the flow of drugs into the United States of America," McCain said. "The progress I've seen since previous visits here has been substantial and positive, while recognizing that in human rights and other issues, progress still needs to be made."

He also reviewed Plan Colombia-sponsored efforts to search cargo containers suspected of smuggling drugs aboard large ships coming in and out of the port.

The Arizona senator is accompanied on the trip by his wife, Cindy.

http://www.gopusa.com/news/2008/july/07 ... ade1.shtml

Columbians are not stupid, they know there are NO benefits in free trade agreements. Well, the employers & government officials benefit, the people do not.

I'd like to "free trade" McCain out of here.....wonder if there's any takers?

"I would like to see a hemispheric free trade agreement," McCain said at a news conference here. "I would like to see our continued assistance to countries like Colombia."

I would like to see some FAIR trade instead of "Shaft the Americans" variety of trade.

Better yet, I would like to know why we export American produce and beef to other countries and then turn around and import those same items from places like Mexico and South America.
Why do we export raw materials to China and import the shoddy goods they make from those raw materials we send them?
Why are so many of our elected officials such boneheads regarding this issue (and others), and WHY do they keep getting "elected"?

We are no longer a self sufficient nation.