Obama backing out of another campaign promise -- this time, the promise to renegotiate NAFTA

[brentspeak]

http://useconomy.about.com/b/2009/07/10/has-obama-forgotten-nafta-promise.htm

Kimberly's US Economy Blog

By Kimberly Amadeo, About.com Guide to US Economy

Has Obama Forgotten NAFTA Promise?
Friday July 10, 2009
Obama

The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, was an important point in Obama's Presidential Campaign platform. However, he seems to be http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Obama-backs-away-from-reforming-free-trade-deal_05_18-45264882.html">backing away from his http://useconomy.about.com/od/candidatesandtheeconomy/p/Obama_trade.htm">promise to renegotiate the agreement. In a meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon in April, Obama said that any NAFTA renegotiation would need to wait until after the economic crisis passes. Any disruption to NAFTA trade could further slow the economy.

NAFTA is the world's largest free trade area. The agreement between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico links 439 million people and produces $15.3 trillion in goods and services annually. Some of the advantages include a tripling of trade between the NAFTA signatories from $297 billion in 1993 to $903 billion in 2007. Critics say that the agreement has led to a net loss of 879,000 jobs in the U.S., and a decline in labor protection and degradation of the environment in Mexico.

[ananda]

1. Oh man, that is a shame.

Until "free trade" turns into fair trade practices,
we are still perpetrators of pure evil.

[tekisui]

2. In less than one minute, at least one anonymous DUer unrecced this.

[bigwillq]

7. Who cares.

This rec/unrec thing is being taken way too seriously by many here at DU. :puke:

[tekisui]

10. True.

[uponit7771]

3. *****ANOTHER KNEE JERK RESPONSE TO MsM REPORT******

When you read the words "seems" and there's no time line Obama attached to said promise then those are tell tales to sloppy reporting that just "Guess'" at what someone will or wont do.

[brentspeak]

5. Are Sherrod Brown, Marcy Kaptur, Dennis Kuchinich, and Mike Michaud reporters for the MSM???

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Obama-backs-away-from-reforming-free-trade-deal_05_18-45264882.html">Try reading before posting.

[Dawgs]

6. There is nothing in your post that suggests Obama will not renegotiate NAFTA.

One statement from his trade representative is hardly proof of that bogus statement.

[Still Sensible]

11. It doesn't seem unreasonable

to me that the administration would delay dealing with NAFTA until the economy is more stable.

[Dawgs]

4. Another, if Obama doesn't fulfill a promise in first 6 months, then it is a broken promise.

Otherwise, another bullshit headline.

UNREC!!!!

[brentspeak]

8. Rep. Mike Michaud pre-responds to your post:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Obama-backs-away-from-reforming-free-trade-deal_05_18-45264882.html

“I am greatly disappointed that the administration seems to have backpedaled on trade, specifically on the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement,” said Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine., who says his state has lost thousands of jobs because of NAFTA. “President Obama campaigned on this issue, and I’m disappointed that he’s walking away from that commitment.”

[vaberella]

15. You realize that is not a response. It's unreasonable faux outrage. n/t

[boppers]

48. "need to wait" = I DON'T GET MY PONY NOW!

Yet another politician making hay, distorting facts to grab headlines. Whouda thunk it.

[Cant trust em]

9. Bing Bing Bing! We have a winner. nt

[Name removed]

27. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Gman]

12. This is pointless, unsubstantiated Obama bashing

so I, for one, unrecommended this.

[alcibiades_mystery]

28. Just another brentspeak post, in other words

[Avalux]

13. I agree with what Obama told Calderon.

Re-negotiating NAFTA at this point in our precarious economic situation would only make matters worse. Of course, if the economy never improves, then one might be able to construe that NAFTA will never be re-negotiated. This article is jumping the gun and Obama should be given more than 5 months before accusations of breaking NAFTA promise are hurled.

[rusty fender]

14. "He has turned out to be such a disappointment."

That was my sister's reply to my statement that Obama is trying to emulate the Worst President Ever in some of his policies, such as proposing to hold "enemy combatants" indefinitely even if they are found not guilty in a court of law. Another of Obama's emulations of Bush(because his policies worked out so well) is protecting the law-breaking CIA. Oh yeah, and there's the one about transparency in what the Federal Gov't. does. Also, continuing Bush's policies in the middle East. And bailing out the criminals on Wall Street that have swindled us. I'll reiterate my sister's sentiment more forcefully: HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT!!!

[Blue_Roses]

35. lack of knowledge...

can reveal ignorance...:eyes:

[Occam Bandage]

16. "We'll hold off on this major economic reconfiguration until we're not in a crisis"

by no means constitutes breaking a promise.

[Oregone]

21. There is an economic crisis?!?

Then why wont anyone commit to more stimulus funds?

[scheming daemons]

23. It'll never get through congress... they're too wimpy to do it

[Oregone]

24. Ah, so potential failure is a good reason for not *trying* to do the right thing

[Occam Bandage]

25. Because Congress is full of morons. nt

[Jennicut]

33. And apparently not using Cheney like tactics with Congress is a bad thing now

Too early to say if we need a second stimulus and the OP is terribly misleading.

[Kitsune]

37. "We won't fix the problem until the problem fixes itself." *nt*

[bvar22]

39. Exactly.

:patriot:

[leftofthedial]

17. Be fair!

He has only backed out of his *progressive* promises.

He is 100% on keeping his pro-corporate promises.

[debbierlus]

18. Who the hell is unrecommending this post? NAFTA has been a disaster for the American economy

This unrecommend feature is just going to squash items critical of Obama from the front page.

There are those who will recommend anything that does not portray Obama in a positive light. About half of DU seems to be composed of Obama fans rather then those vested in truthful dialogue around the administration's appointments and policy decisions.

Skinner, what the hell?

[Occam Bandage]

19. People who realize "not now because X is preventing it" isn't "ha ha I'll never do X suckers." nt

[mkultra]

41. +1 for ownage

[scheming daemons]

20. It is being unrecommended because it is FALSE to say that Obama has "backed" out of a promise here

"Failing to act in first 6 months" DOES NOT EQUAL "Breaking a promise"


The OP is misleading, disingenuous, and has a FALSE HEADLINE.


*THAT* is why it is being unrecommended. It's faux outrage about something that HASN'T HAPPENED.

[DevonRex]

34. People with intelligence.

[scheming daemons]

22. False and disingenuous headline in the OP

Because he hasn't done it in the first 6 months is *NOT* the same as "backing out of promise".


This OP is shit. It's a blatant lie.

[Hutzpa]

26. Sounds like you are blatantly misleading people

with your OP.

[brentspeak]

38. Are the Democratic senators and representatives who are saying the same thing

"blatantly misleading people"?

[scheming daemons]

40. They're not saying what your headline implies

You're a disingenuous liar.

[brentspeak]

45. It takes a special kind of 'dumb' to be you:

Rep. Mike Michaud: “I am greatly disappointed that the administration seems to have backpedaled on trade, specifically on the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement,” said Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine., who says his state has lost thousands of jobs because of NAFTA. “President Obama campaigned on this issue, and I’m disappointed that he’s walking away from that commitment.”

[Hutzpa]

44. I stand by my point

now, you show me proof of Senators and Representatives who are saying this
same thing that you have projected on your post.

The President has not even addressed NAFTA yet, but according to your hit piece
article that was concocted by this journalist he is backing out, again, I've
read the article and there is nothing on there that says what Senator or
Representative is suggesting that the President has backed out of NAFTA.

[brentspeak]

46. Do you know how to click on a link?

You a) take hold of your computer mouse; and b) navigate the cursor over to the embedded link within the article (highlighted in color, usually the color blue); c) then you use your mouse to http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Obama-backs-away-from-reforming-free-trade-deal_05_18-45264882.html">click on the link which was embedded in the OP.

[emulatorloo]

29. Your use of ----> HYPERBOLE

does not help your arguments.

Even your source Kimberly tempers it a little

"seems to be backing away"

[Proud Liberal Dem]

30. That's not exactly what the article says

"In a meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon in April, Obama said that any NAFTA renegotiation would need to wait UNTIL THE ECONOMIC CRISIS PASSES.

That sounds to me more like a DELAY rather than "backing out". Nice try. Thanks for playing.

IMHO simply delaying or not having accomplished something within a specific timeframe does NOT mean that he has "backed out" of fulfilling a campaign promise.

[Peacetrain]

31. He "seems to be backing away", because at this "point" in time

it would kneecap both Mexico and the US. Obama did NOT say he was not going to renegotiate NAFTA.. He is waiting till the boat of the world economies stops lurching right and left, to turn course.

[Peacetrain]

32. Its called judgment.. and that is why we elected him.. to make sound judgments

You do not run out and play golf in a thunderstorm!.. Likewise, you have to pick and choose the best timing to put forward the programs..

[Blue_Roses]

36. why are you always so quick to try and stifle any good that Obama does...

this is totally unrelated to this article, but you always have a "thumbs-down" approach to ANYTHING Obama does. Why is this?

[Name removed]

42. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bvar22]

43. Obama "backed out" of this "promise" during the campaign.

When Obama made the lofty promise of renegotiating NAFTA, the Canadian Prime Minister became alarmed.
Obama had his reps make a quick trip to Canada to privately reassure the Prime Minister that he had no intention of renegotiating NAFTA.

Thats a fact.

According to the writer of the memorandum, Joseph De Mora, a political and economic affairs consular officer, Professor Goolsbee assured them that Mr. Obama’s protectionist stand on the trail was “more reflective of political maneuvering than policy.”

It also said the professor had assured the Canadians that Mr. Obama’s language “should be viewed as more about political positioning than a clear articulation of policy plans.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/us/politics/04nafta.html

[Canuckistanian]

50. Yes, I remember that

It was big news here in Canada. All the auto unions and oil companies were dead-set against re-negotiation.

[johnaries]

47. Misleading. There is a BIG difference between delaying and "backing out".

Although it can certainly be argued that NAFTA is part of the problem and a renegotiation should be part of the stimulus plan, it can also be argued that a renegotiation would be a huge disruption and further destabilize an already unstable world economy. Indeed, it would be considered "protectionism" by other countries and they would likely refuse to cooperate with any US efforts, when international cooperation is vital.

I can definitely see where a renegotiation now could potentially do more harm than good. In this instance I would say that "patience is a virtue".

[Canuckistanian]

49. I don't think he ended up supporting NAFTA renegotiation

Because I remember that he assured Canadian authorities (read: our Conservative govt.) that he WOULDN'T re-open NAFTA.

I remember that both Clinton and Obama made assurances that they wouldn't re-negotiate.