NAFTA 2.0: Congress passes an outsourcing deal that will cost the US 159,000 jobs

[MadHound]

"Congress passed three long-awaited free trade agreements on Wednesday, ending a political standoff that has stretched across two presidencies. The move offered a rare moment of bipartisan accord at a time when Republicans and Democrats are bitterly divided over the role that government ought to play in reviving the sputtering economy. "
<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/business/trade-bills-near-final-chapter.html?_r=1&hp>

"President Obama’s NAFTA-style Korea Free Trade will still cost the country 159,000 jobs, despite last-minute changes to the agreement.

The policy institute EPI reported in July that the proposed NAFTA-style Korea Free Trade agreement would mean 159,000 jobs lost due to a $13.9 billion trade deficit."
<http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/12/04/159000-jobs-lost-the-price-of-nafta-style-korea-free-trade/>

Not only are we going to be losing jobs, but our trade deficit will go seriously into the negative as well.

Since free trade has worked out so very well in creating jobs since NAFTA(NOT), why are we continuing to pursue a failed trade policy even further down the rabbit hole? When unemployment is running over nine percent, why are we looking to increase it even more?

Once again, we see Obama talking, and promising, a good game, but what he actually does is an entirely different matter altogether.

[nc4bo]

1. Judge them by their actions......

not by their words.

[vi5]

2. This just isn't possible...

This must be the Republican's doing. Anything bad that happens under the Obama administration is the Republican's fault. Or the Blue Dogs.

Right? Right???

Poor, pooooor President Obama doesn't WANT to enact such policies but really what other choice does he have but to do so. I mean with Republican majorities in the house and also the.....uh....well nowhere else. But I mean it's not like he can veto legislati....uh....well.....never mind.

[Dragonfli]

9. They are using a different talking point to explain this one, you won't believe the audacity of it

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=795743&mesg_id=795758

[vi5]

14. Hahaha.....figures I can't see the thread/post....

I'll let you figure out why that is.

[Dragonfli]

15. I know what you mean, I leave that one for entertainment purposes only, the talking point is:

"Thanks to Obama, these trade deals 'protect labor rights, the environment & intellectual property.'"

It was posted in all sincerity and with great hope and love for the WH spokesman that it is quoting.

[vi5]

16. Brilliant.

I wish I could keep some of those open and accessible just for comedy purposes. But unfortunately any comedic value is off-set by the rise in my blood pressure so it's just not worth it.

[Vinca]

3. The only thing being traded is the American way of life.

This really, really upsets me. What on earth makes sense about an agreement that is acknowledged, with no hesitation, to be a job killer? I'm very disappointed . . .again.

[Dragonfli]

4. He is following orders from one of his employers (the US Chamber of Commerce) I

Fully expect him to get all of this on his desk and signed into law by him http://www.uschamber.com/sites/default/files/110905_jobs_letter.pdf

He has the free trade part, the toxic sludge pipeline is being fast tracked by his SOS, the corporate repatriate their money tax holiday will be a Republican idea that will have to be passed in trade for something like cutting entitlements by 10% rather than 20% (initially that is).

The rest will be all that is left of his jobs bill once he does his pre-emptive bipartisan compromise thing (it will also make the list as a "good" thing).

How do I know this?
I can extrapolate from his MO and an observation I have made: When the Third way Republicans (or are we still calling them Dems) agree with the GOP Republicans, the payment has already been made by the money men and the thing will pass every time.

Call it a prediction, but the truth is every time the third way R's and the GOP R's and the money men agree that means the decision has already been made, the rest is theater to please the voters on both sides or at least attempt to make the sale. It is important to note however that even when the rubes (voters) aren't buying it, even to the tune of 75% or 80% polled, they do it anyway.

[HughBeaumont]

5. It makes me utterly sick to my goddamned stomach that, economically, there IS no option.

Democrats - Reaganomic-lovin, Free-trade, Laissez-fail Kool-aid drinkers.
Republicans - Reaganomic-worshipping, Free-trade Laissez-fail Kool-aid drunkards.
Ron Paul - Reaganomic-lovin, Laissez-fail, abolish-the-income-tax idiot.

Please tell me WHAT option I have economically.

Now is the time to step AWAY from the Reaganomics narcotic. It doesn't work for anyone except the extraordinarily wealthy. It DOES NOT WORK. Get rid of it, and fast.

[nc4bo]

10. !

Asking your permission to use this as a FB quote. You've managed to wrap up the current state of affairs in 3 easy to understand, short sentences that make a load of sense.

TIA

[HughBeaumont]

11. SPREAD it, just like the wealth should be.

:)

[nc4bo]

13. TY kindly! nt

[LWolf]

17. +1

[MadHound]

21. There is an option,

But it can't be discussed here. Suffice it to say, OWS is pointing the way.

[Donnachaidh]

6. now watch -- that *jobs* bill this mess was tucked into?

Will suddenly become IMPOSSIBLE to pass.

Because the turd in that particular punchbowl just got carried through. Suddenly the *IRAN* business will rise to the top of the list -- and unemployed American will be left holding NOTHING.

AGAIN.

CHANGE we can *believe* in -- really?

[Dragonfli]

7. I have a different take on what they will do with the *jobs* bill (see my post #4) remember they

promised to split it up and pass parts, that is a big clue as well add to that what is known by the marching orders given by some of the biggest money men/employers of our bought and paid for pols.

[bvar22]

19. I predicted that several months ago.

The parts that WILL pass:

*Free Trade

*The extension on the De-Fund Social Security Initiative (AKA: Payroll Tax Holiday)

*Corporate tax Cuts



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Dragonfli]

22. You often reach the same conclusions as I, but tell me do you also believe as do I

That the entire agenda of the letter written by the COC regarding "jobs" will be made into law, perhaps in multiple pieces of legislation, but enacted as ordered nonetheless? I laid out my reasoning in post #4

[myrna minx]

8. I am so sick of our broken and corrupt system and the people who exploit it and us.

:puke: Yes, we know them by their actions, not words. They say one thing and slight of hand the other.

[Obamanaut]

12. Ooooh! Let's reelect the whole bunch in 2012. nt

[Selatius]

18. C H A N G E. Y O U. C A N. B E L I E V E. I N. What a bunch of bullshit. nt

[slay]

24. +1

Obama's a republican in Dem clothing if ever i saw one.

[qb]

20. By now, a greater percentage of Americans 'get' OWS than those in Congress & the White House.

:banghead:

[slay]

23. The system is broken - for everyone except the super rich.

the poor realized this long ago. the middle class is finally waking up to it now. what do we do? i don't know. obama is not going to help us. honestly i think #OWS is the best option we have right now. show that we're not going to take this shit anymore!

[Major Hogwash]

25. That is just counting the jobs to Korea. How many are going to Panama? Or to Columbia?

I wonder if President Obama will veto these bills.
Since they started under Bush, 5 years ago.