Thread: Bush Pushes Central American Pact

Great, let's export jobs and import illegals - what a plan!


Bush urges Central American trade pact

JENNIFER LOVEN

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - President Bush, faced with stiff opposition to the free-trade pact he wants with Central American and Caribbean nations, on Thursday portrayed its passage as crucial to America's security and commitment to democratic change in the neighborhood.

"By transforming our hemisphere into a powerful free trade area, we will promote democratic governance, human rights and economic liberty for everyone," Bush said, with presidents of the Dominican Republic and the five Central American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua at his side at the White House. "The United States was built on freedom and the more of it we have in our backyard, the freer and safer and more prosperous all of the Americas will be."

The pact, signed by Bush last May, needs the approval of Congress. But it is in trouble there, especially in the House where Democratic opponents have been joined by Republican lawmakers from sugar- and textile-producing districts.

With opponents claiming they have enough votes to kill the measure, the battle is shaping up as the most ferocious free-trade confrontation in Congress since the debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement more than a decade ago. That 1994 pact links the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The event with Bush in the Rose Garden was an attempt to change the momentum toward the measure. The six presidents spent Wednesday walking the halls of Congress to lobby for the pact.

Critics claim more free-trade pacts are not a good idea in time of soaring trade deficits. Bush also must overcome opposition from U.S. labor unions, sugar farmers and groups upset with more than 3 million lost manufacturing jobs over the past five years.

The president appealed to opponents' economic and patriotic interests as he tried to drum up support.

He said the deal would represent an improvement over the current situation for American workers, businesses and farmers by leveling the playing field on tariffs. Most Central American exports, he said, now already enter the United States duty-free, while American products exported south are subjected to hefty tariffs.

The free-trade pact also would open a market of 44 million consumers for U.S. farm products and manufactured goods, he said. And, Bush argued, it would make it more likely for factories to remain in Central America, where they often use American materials, rather than relocate to Asia.

Bush's most passionate appeal involved the need to support "small nations ... making big and brave commitments" to openness in governmental and economic affairs.

"The Central America and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement presents us with an historic opportunity to advance our common goals in an important part of our neighborhood," he said. "By passing this agreement, we would signal that the world's leading trading nation was committed to closer partnersip with countries in our own backyard, countries which share our vales."

"By transforming our hemisphere into a powerful free trade area, we will promote democratic governance, human rights and economic liberty for everyone," Bush said, with presidents of the Dominican Republic and the five Central American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua at his side at the White House. "The United States was built on freedom and the more of it we have in our backyard, the freer and safer and more prosperous all of the Americas will be."

WHAT? This is absolute garbage. Powerful free trade area? What's so free about it? You call racking up billions of dollars in trade debt every year free? You call working in a sweatshop for 16 hours making 2 bucks a day with no health benefits promoting human rights and economic liberty? You call that being free? Where I come from we call that economic slavery. You say this is going to be more prosperous for all Americas? For who the big business cronies your married to? Oh yeah we'll prosper alright, just like we did with NAFTA. This is so unconstitutional it's not even funny. If you call stripping Americans of their jobs and benefits and forcing us to go work inside some sweatshop in Honduras for about 16 hours earning 2 bucks a day freedom then you Jorge can take your freedom and stick it where the sun don't shine. We are so losing our freedoms it's not even funny.

Democracy? Jorge you don't even know how to spell it so why are you even preaching it when you don't even believe in it for your own people? Even most of the people in Central America don't even want this. Even Chinese people in China are revolting over this not so free trade nonsense.

He said the deal would represent an improvement over the current situation for American workers, businesses and farmers by leveling the playing field on tariffs. Most Central American exports, he said, now already enter the United States duty-free, while American products exported south are subjected to hefty tariffs.

This deal is going to represent more of the same from NAFTA. That's all CAFTA is, is an overglorified version of NAFTA. Mexico and China can dump their crap on our shores duty free right now while we pay heavy tariffs for our exports, so how is this going to be any different for Central America?

The free-trade pact also would open a market of 44 million consumers for U.S. farm products and manufactured goods, he said. And, Bush argued, it would make it more likely for factories to remain in Central America, where they often use American materials, rather than relocate to Asia.

So in Jorge's own double talk, it means more American jobs being shipped over to Central America.

Bush's most passionate appeal involved the need to support "small nations ... making big and brave commitments" to openness in governmental and economic affairs.

Somebody please shut his globalist trap. Since when did America become the giant day labor center for the third world? What about supporting your own people Jorge? We have millions of Americans who can't find a job and now your going to make it worse by having them compete with more poor third world cheap labor, force them out of the job market so you can have even more cheaper labor then you do in Mexico and China? This guy is sick.

"The Central America and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement presents us with an historic opportunity to advance our common goals in an important part of our neighborhood," he said. "By passing this agreement, we would signal that the world's leading trading nation was committed to closer partnersip with countries in our own backyard, countries which share our vales."

WHAT? He didn't just say that? No he didn't just go there. Your telling me that these third world countries share our values? What are you talking about? Do they share our language? NO! Do they share in our European culture? NO! Do they share the same borders as us even? NO! Do they share in the same morals and values that make America great? HELL NO! What values are you talking about Jorge? Are you talking about values as in the values of corrupt government ruled by mob mentality, are you talking abou the values of gang warfare, drug peddling, spreading diseases, have a mass amount of people unskilled, uneducated, impoverished, how about the values of living in a country where the criminals outnumber the cops and the cops are mostly corrupt and side with the enemy anyway, how about the values of human smugglers who will sell their souls for a quick buck? Is this the type of values you want for this country Jorge? You speak for yourself only because you don't represent my views. You don't know what your talking about. Can this country survive another 3 more years of this idiot because I have my doubts?

"Jorge," I guess pronounced Hor-Hey. I like that. Hope you don't mind if I use it Dman. He certainly acts more like a Jorge than a George.

I was a supporter of GWB, but no more. Of course our alternative was likely even worse (if that's possible).

You know, we're selling our souls to the third world so we can buy $29.00 VCR's at Walmart. America is asleep for the most part. Looks like it will take another Pearl Harbor to wake it up. It's coming.

"Jorge," I guess pronounced Hor-Hey. I like that. Hope you don't mind if I use it Dman. He certainly acts more like a Jorge than a George.

Go ahead. I didn't make it up so I can't take credit for it. I first heard him referred to as Jorge Bush from American Patrol and I thought it was so fitting for him. I will refer to him as Jorge Bush, not George Bush, not Mr Bush, not President Bush. I refuse to give this clown any respect because he is a traitor and he deserves none. So you ask me if I don't mind you calling him Jorge, I not only say go ahead, but I also highly encourage you to call him Jorge. If you get tired of calling him Jorge you can also refer to him as El Presidente de Mexico as Jorge thinks he's president of Mexico too, or maybe you can call him Senor Boosh, of Vicente's Pet Slave. I even like Demon Bush and snake in the grass too. Other names can't be said on this board because it involves massive amounts of profanity.

Oh and when you pronounce Jorge as Hor-Hey do you imply that Hor means that Bush is a whore for illegal alien cheap labor and Hey means that Bush is still milking a male horse (mainly that burro in Mexico)?

I was a supporter of GWB, but no more. Of course our alternative was likely even worse (if that's possible).

Who would be worst then Jorge Bush? I can't think of a single Democrat that Jorge isn't equal to or worst then.

You know, we're selling our souls to the third world so we can buy $29.00 VCR's at Walmart. America is asleep for the most part. Looks like it will take another Pearl Harbor to wake it up. It's coming.

Lets hope not, but I fear the worst too.

dman1200

You smooth talker you. ...I love reading your answers to the articles.

They are always good for a laugh and put into words what I can only think.

"Jorge" it is then from now on. I guess when he swore his oath to defend the country against all enemies, foreign and domestic, he exempted illegal aliens. I thought he might be the next Reagan. Boy was I wrong.

He would rather spread democracy to Iraq than to defend democracy here. He would rather guard the borders of South Korea, Bosnia, Afghanistan and every other third rate country that we pay to be our friends, than to guard our borders.

I'm a simple guy when it comes to this. I just want this crap (can I say "crap"?) stopped.

What I am finding (since I am new to this game) is that a lot of people will denounce illegal immigration, but precious few will try to do anything about it. I still say it's going to take a suitcase nuke coming across the southern border to wake us up. The mainstream media does everything it can to cover up the problem. Only when something as dramatic as the Minutemen comes along do they really say anything about it. If it wasn't for O'Reilly, talk radio, and the bloggers, very little would be publicized.