AP: U.S. blocked release of trade reports

[Judi Lynn]

Tuesday, June 28, 2005 · Last updated 11:23 p.m. PT

AP: U.S. blocked release of trade reports

By LARRY MARGASAK
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- The Labor Department kept secret for more than a year government studies that supported Democratic opponents of the Bush administration's new Central American trade deal, internal documents show.

The studies, paid for by the department, concluded that several countries the administration wants to be granted free-trade status have poor working conditions and fail to protect workers' rights. The agency dismissed the conclusions as inaccurate and biased, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

"In practice, labor laws on the books in Central America are not sufficient to deter employers from violations, as actual sanctions for violations of the law are weak or nonexistent," the contractor, the International Labor Rights Fund, wrote in one of the reports.

The studies' conclusions contrast with the administration's arguments that Central American countries have made enough progress on such issues to warrant a free-trade deal with the United States.
(snip/...)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apwashington_story.asp?category=1155&slug=Free%20Trade%20Studies

[applegrove]

1. AP: U.S. Blocked Release of CAFTA Reports

By LARRY MARGASAK, Associated Press Writer
49 minutes ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050629/ap_on_go_ot/free_trade_studies;_ylt=AmUOiB5O3gq5nQxrj9p8HIRI2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

"WASHINGTON - The Labor Department kept secret for more than a year government studies that supported Democratic opponents of the Bush administration's new Central American trade deal, internal documents show.

The studies, paid for by the department, concluded that several countries the administration wants to be granted free-trade status have poor working conditions and fail to protect workers' rights. The agency dismissed the conclusions as inaccurate and biased, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

"In practice, labor laws on the books in Central America are not sufficient to deter employers from violations, as actual sanctions for violations of the law are weak or nonexistent," the contractor, the International Labor Rights Fund, wrote in one of the reports.

The studies' conclusions contrast with the administration's arguments that Central American countries have made enough progress on such issues to warrant a free-trade deal with the United States."

-- Snip --

[brokensymmetry]

2. This misadministration can't stop lying, can it? n/t

:kick:

[habitual]

3. It really is true

This is the most corrupt administration ever. Their lying and deceiving knows NO bounds.

[mom cat]

4. Things are falling apart all over aren't they.

[Cobalt Violet]

5. They won't stop untile we have the poorest working conditions.

And no labor laws. It is happening here already. They will continue to chip away at everything it meant to be an American until there is nothing left.

[enough]

6. Working conditions and workers rights?

Absolutely irrelevant to Bushco. And to the American public.

[Roland99]

7. Ah, so, they were trying to perpetuate the Tom DeLay mindset

Screw the peasants.

[LizW]

8. "The studies...concluded that several countries..."

"...the administration wants to be granted free-trade status have poor working conditions and fail to protect workers' rights."

Well, I for one am shocked, shocked. :eyes:

[gratuitous]

10. But watch the media coverage

Supporters of CAFTA will be uniformly praised if not lionized as forward-thinking modernists, working toward a better future, while opponents will be derided, ridiculed and discounted as head-in-the-sand Luddites who are trying to hold back the tide with a whisk broom with their nervous nelly concerns over such namby-pamby considerations as workers' rights, environmental impacts, the potential for even more corruption, etc., etc.

[MisterP]

18. hell, that's what Blair vomits out on a regular basis!

[meganmonkey]

9. Meanwhile, the Senate Committee endorsed CAFTA

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1591500#1591763

[Robert Oak]

11. actual report w/ Levin analysis

http://www.mediamouse.org/news/michigan_congressperson_releases.php

[OzarkDem]

12. Correction, please

Would the SCLM please stop referring to the lies, obfuscation and misinformation from Bushco as coming from "the U.S."? As a citizen of the US, I resent the implication that I've had anything to do with his dealings.

Note to SCLM - for future reference say "Bush Administration Blocked the Release of ...."or "Bush Administration Lied About...."or "Bush Administration covered up.....". Please stop trying to minimize his corruption by somehow linking the rest of the country to it. Thanks.

[dissent1977]

13. US Blocked Release of CAFTA Report

WASHINGTON - The Labor Department kept secret for more than a year government studies that supported Democratic opponents of the Bush administration's new Central American trade deal, internal documents show.

The studies, paid for by the department, concluded that several countries the administration wants to be granted free-trade status have poor working conditions and fail to protect workers' rights. The agency dismissed the conclusions as inaccurate and biased, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

"In practice, labor laws on the books in Central America are not sufficient to deter employers from violations, as actual sanctions for violations of the law are weak or nonexistent," the contractor, the International Labor Rights Fund, wrote in one of the reports.

The studies' conclusions contrast with the administration's arguments that Central American countries have made enough progress on such issues to warrant a free-trade deal with the United States.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050629/ap_on_go_ot/free_trade_studies

[Nothing Without Hope]

14. Perfectly consistent with everything else this gang of criminals has done

Short-sighted greed and contempt for anyone or anything outside their small circle. One more scandal among a mountain of them.

Needs to be publicized.

[Coexist]

15. gee - what a surprise

didn't see tht one coming.

[Judi Lynn]

16. Kick!

[Senior citizen]

17. Is it fascism yet? CAFTA SUCKS!

:kick:

[WhiteTara]

19. we just want it all cheap!

who cares if these workers are chained to a chair 18 hours a day. I just want CHEAP!
:sarcasm: