[traviskicks]

ok. well, I see what you're saying and it is an intelligent objection.

What do you propose we do then?

IMHO, It's like government saying if you import any sugar we'll throw you in jail, to them saying, well you can import a little under all of these bloated and wasteful agencies, with all of this regulation and yadda yadda yadda...

seems to me we might as well take it.

I mean, it already gives itself the power to block it, so its not like you're giving it power over an area it didn't previously have.

[Dat Mon]

You said..."What do you propose we do then?"

There is usually no easy fix to things...

In general...I believe that a 'carrot and a stick' is the answer to many problems...make business in this country more competitive across the board...not just for politically connected companies.

Abolish most forms of corporate welfare and special loophole tax breaks...while reducing or eliminating many taxes.

Negotiate trade agreements that will give American companies the ability to set up operations in foreign countries...and produce goods for that country alone...as a means of building up the infrastructure of the host country.

I'm open to any and all other suggestions...

I don't have a problem with free trade of goods....its the free trade of services that causes problems...services can be defined very broadly. I would limit services to include temporary specialized labor...such as consulting services...which the user country does not have a capability in.

For example...there is a big difference with importing guest workers into this country to do conventional blue collar jobs on a semi to permanent living basis...at below market rates...and hiring a consultant to go to Costa Rica and set up a communications network for people who don't have the technical knowhow.

Yet...in this agreement...there seems to be no distinction on the American side...jobs is jobs.

On the other side of it...you bet there are distinctions...