Texans: NAFTA, Republicans and Democrats

[Taeger]

How come the Texas Republican party opposes NAFTA:

http://www.txdemocrats.org/gopplatform2002.htm

International Trade – The Party favors fair and reciprocal trade and competition in the international market place for our agricultural products, oil and gas, any other raw materials and manufactured goods. We urge the use of import quotas of foreign products like those used by former President Ronald Reagan to protect the Harley-Davidson motorcycle, steel and machine tools and computer chip industries from “dumping” (products manufactured with financial support from foreign governments) by foreign powers. Likewise, we urge sanctions against the European Union and other nations that:

1) disrupt free trade by subsidizing agricultural exports or other goods to the United States,

2) bar of excessively tax American products or services, or

3) enslave their own citizens.

We support business opportunity and oppose the previous Democrat administration’s advocacy of intrusive government-industry partnerships based on foreign models. We urge the repeal of NAFTA, GATT, and any other international trade agreements that do not promote free trade, and withdrawal from membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO). We believe that we should call for the immediate withdrawal of the United States from any agreements that compromise national sovereignty, independence, self-sufficiency, and national security. We urge Congress to authorize fund expenditures and audit measures on research and development of alternative fuels to reduce the United States dependency on OPEC and ensure no financial support of terrorist sponsoring nations.


Furthermore, they have a VERY strong policy on removing illegal immigrants who steal US jobs and drive down wages:

Immigration – The Party believes that one responsibility of the government is to secure out nation’s borders. The Party opposes any further “amnesties” for illegal aliens. We support:

1) returning immigration quotas to traditional levels in practice prior to 1965 of 300,000 per year or less, including those granted asylum and refugees;

2) expeditious hearing on deporting non-violent illegal aliens held in prisons or jails;

3) reclaiming control of international borders;

4) screening immigrants for communicable diseases, including HIV;

5) Congressional oversight of federal agencies to follow up over-stayed visas;

6) The assimilation of immigrants into the American culture;

7) Congress providing for an end to the practice of “chain migration”; and,

8) The immediate deportation of aliens if they do not carry the required ID.



Yet I kind find nothing of the sort in the Texas Democratic Party platform.
http://www.txdemocrats.org/index.asp?menu=platform&page=tdpPlatform

It's pretty wishy-washy.

Is this a potential reason why Democrats are getting CREAMED in Texas. Doesn't a platform that protects American jobs and American borders make more sense. What is wrong with deporting illegal residents???

It seems to me that Texas Democrats are taking the pro-business platform with this regard in Texas.

Texas Democrats are WEAK on NAFTA, GATT and WTO. Why would Texans anxious about their jobs vote for Democrats?????

[corporatewhore]

1. just another reason DK could clobber bush and why anybody could if they

said they would dump NAFTA

[Taeger]

2. I'm concerned

I'm concerned that Republicans seem to be MORE anti-NAFTA, anti-WTO than DEMOCRATS!!!!

The Democrats are SUPPOSED to be the people's party. They aren't supposed to be the party for big-business.

This is what concerns me so DEEPLY about John Kerry. I'm pretty sure he's FOR WTO. I DO NOT think he's being honest about it.

I'm throwing my support behind John Edwards. He's the ONLY one who can stop Kerry at this point.

[Taeger]

3. kick

kick

[eridani]

4. This is why Kucinich can win n/t

[rucky]

5. And What's Keeping Bush From Talking About Pulling Out....

of the trade agreements?

Think about what that would do to his support base - it would galvanize it. Think about what it would do to our party platform.

And why wouldn't the GOP do this? Bush has already shown a tendency towards it w/ steel tariffs & China policy. They've shown a strategy to take "Democrat-owned" issues like Medicare & make then their own.

Not to mention - with Nader in the ring again - it just gives the Greens yet another reason to vote how they want. It was "free trade" that attracted most of them to the third party vote back in 2000.

Have the Democrats learned anything from that?

It is becoming IMPERATIVE that we focus on this issue & give Dennis Kucinich some serious consideration.

[anti-NAFTA]

6. Yet another reason why Kerry will lose

The man simply doesn't stand for anything other than his lobbying groups.

Could we please save ourselves and nominate Kucinich? or at least Edwards? for G-d's sake!