CAFTA Guts All “Buy American” Laws: A New Green Light for Outsourcing

Sierra Times ^ | July 27, 2005 | Sierra Times

[TheOtherOne]

Don't be bashful. Name the criminal company.

I will at some point, but as a potential witness, I would prefer not to jeopardize my testimony. Typing the company name will associate my FR identity with this company and will be found by an attorney, etc.

[Iron Matron]

I am led to believe that congress does not represent the people.

They haven't for a long time now, but there is a constitutional solution to our Wayward Congress and our Wayward President.

And someday, when We the People Wise Up, we will Rise Up, and tell this anti-constitutional government of ours to cease and desists..or we'll do it for them.

NONE of US should be forced to buy anything but USA Products..I will gladly pay extra for sugar and steel, buying USA whenever possible..let the Imports ROT ON THE DOCK!!! SHOW BUSH HE AINT NO KING!!!!!!

[You Dirty Rats]

I'm in Ohio's Second District, so there's nobody for me to call. Our former Representative Rob Portman is doing a wonderful job supporting the President on this issue and I am confident that the vote today will be yet another victory for the President and free trade.

Banana Lobby 1, Textile & Sugar Lobby 0.

[antisocial]

Ping for more CAFTA bad news

[hedgetrimmer]

Collecting the benefits Americans won't get.

[hedgetrimmer]

Thanks. I find it terrible the way the Administration is pushing the CAFTA when their chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers is saying we have to get our manufacturing back from China. So giving it to central America gets it back? I don't think so.

The challenge will come once the price of imports begins to rise. At that point, Americans will have to produce for themselves much more of what they consume, or pay a lot more for the privilege. Ideally, the process would involve America becoming a much bigger producing nation, even stepping up its exports to Asia, while Asia, and especially China, takes up the role of consumer.

That is essentially the view of the Bush administration as outlined by Ben Bernanke, the newly appointed chairman of President George W. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers. "We probably have little choice except to be patient as we work to create" the necessary conditions for a reversal of roles, he said in a recent speech.
http://www.iht.com/bin/print_ipub.php?file=/articles/2005/07/22/business/dollar.php

[swampfox98]

Not only that but illegal immigration will become the legal transport of people, goods and services, across the entire western hemisphere. If any country tries to inhibit the free flow of any of the above, that country will be taken to court.

Republicans are certain that with these votes to redistribute the American wealth and jobs, the Mexican illegals will flock to the polls to vote for them. They no longer believe they need the conservative wing of the party to win elections. They may be right.

At the present, Mexicans are happy to undercut American citizens and work for very low pay. The politicians will count on that, along with forcing the American tax payers to pay for the social services used by the illegals. Those two things should keep the Mexican workers happy for a while. Later, it will be interesting to see if the unions can boost the salaries of the Mexican workers.

[w6ai5q37b]

But, but......if we send all of our jobs overseas, what will all the new guest workers be doing?

They can go on welfare of course!

[w6ai5q37b]

Who is the proper authority to whom I can make a report

Did you try taking it to your rep in Congress?

[Warhorse]

President Bush is holding an emergency meeting today.. as it "looks" like CAFTA will not be
passed.. it only "looks" this way because he has not paid off enough representatives to vote for
CAFTA... CAFTA means:


No more Vitamins or health food stores

Irradiated food that is genetically engineered, grown in human fecal matter, and sprayed with
pesticides at least 30 times, from countries that will not be marked on your food.

More manufacturing jobs (Alcoa & Auto Manufacturers have already moved to Centrl America) moving
South. Pay is $.30 an hour... look foward to your children making this pay scale.

Illegal aliens will flood over our borders.. When NAFTA was passed the Mexican got permission to
come over the border.. when CAFTA is passed 6 countries will have permission to send their people
over the border... all this while we have "TERRORISM"??? We are asked to give up all our freedoms
while Bush and congress invite the terrorists to dinner. (give me a break)


If you have not called your representative... TOLL FREE #s to REACH CAPITAL SWITCHBOARD:
866-340-9281, 866-340-9279, 877-762-8762

[TheSpottedOwl]

Unbelieveable! No it's not. American has been sold lock, stock, and barrel. Is Dubya bound and determined to impose his father's vision on us, no matter what?

[hershey]

Kill it dead. Where's the Raid?

[blackeagle]

For some time now, I've known the senate failed to represent any interest of the American public, but I had always felt that hope lied in the house... I was wrong.

When I read passages from the founding fathers on tyranny, there was always a disconnect and it followed me up untill the kelo ruling. Then I finally understood the spirit of 75 and the words of Jefferson.

Up for a tea party?

[TheOtherOne]

Did you try taking it to your rep in Congress?

That is a good idea. Do you think mine will help?

http://www.henrywaxman.house.gov/

[Iron Matron]

Up for a tea party?


Compiling the guest list...

[GhostofWCooper]

Ideally, the process would involve America becoming a much bigger producing nation, even stepping up its exports to Asia, while Asia, and especially China, takes up the role of consumer.

Where to starty with this idiocy? Remember NAFTA gang? It was going to raise the living standards of our allies south of the border, and they would buy our manufactured goods.

How long is it going to take before some commie peasant in china earns enough money to pay for American made golf clubs, or a new Suburban?

LOL!

Hey, it might just work! We must all accept paycuts until our wages are lower than theirs! Then we can work and slave for THEM!

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Just like NAFTA this scam will probably pass. Only until politicians feel the heat at election time will they stop selling us out this way.

[DustyMoment]

Many years ago, the company I worked for sent part of its manufacturing capability to Mexico as a cost-cutting move. For two years, they worked with the Mexican employees to train them on the proper techniques for building and testing quality products.

For two years, what they got for their effort was consistently inferior product. Finally, thay had to pull the product line back to the US and resume building it here to obtain the required quality.

This isn't an isolated event, I've heard of other companies that experienced the same problems. If American businesses want to try to maintain the same level of growth or expand it and increase profits, stocking their shelves with inferior products is NOT the way to do it.

Many American businesses are (re-)learning that shipping jobs and manufacturing capacity offshore doesn't always equal a corresponding increase in profits. Many times, the costs of doing business offshore, despite lower wage/benefit costs, is the same or higher than leaving the business in the US. Businesses are beginning to learn that the big profit magins they expected by doing business in India are not being realized. I anticipate that many will begin to quietly pull out of India and return the business segments to the US in the next 2 - 3 years for the same reason.

CAFTA, in all its iterations, will get a lot of people excited and may cause some manufacturing to move offshore. The long-term effect, IMO, will not be as satisfactory as the businesses expect. As another poster noted, it may be just the EU for the western hemisphere, and it will likely bring the same result. The EU is crumbling and, like the EU, CAFTA will also crumble down the road.

I don't like CAFTA anymore than anyone else, but I'm also not concerned that my job is going to be exported south of the border. The biggest beneficiaries from CAFTA are likely to be the businesses in the signatory SA companies that will have open access to our markets for whatever products they can sell here. Traditionally, products from SA have not done well in American markets and have met with only limited success in very limited markets.

[w6ai5q37b]

Many years ago, the company I worked for sent part of its manufacturing capability to Mexico as a cost-cutting move. For two years, they worked with the Mexican employees to train them on the proper techniques for building and testing quality products.

I guess what you mean is that the company had it's employees train the Mexicans before the employees were given the pink slip. Sort of the economic equivalent of forcing prisoners to dig their own graves before they shooting them.

[gopwinsin04]

Kelo vs. New London redux?