Haven't the Neocons Gone Far Enough for You Yet?

The Bush administration is pushing for a major trade deal that would hurt ordinary working Americans by exporting even more jobs. This deal, called the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), is like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) of 10 years ago but much bigger. The FTAA would apply to the 34 countries and 800 million people throughout North and South America. The FTAA would trade away millions more U.S. jobs. Act now to oppose FTAA by clicking on the link below or keep reading for more information at the link. www.unionvoice.org...
It's bad enough that Bush & his Bully Boy Gang & Corporate Cronies have pushed the highest rate of unemployment this Nation has ever known...But now they're seeking to put even *more* jobs overseas as well.

We need you to make a difference for the millions of workers who are out of work because President Bush has failed to keep his promise to create new jobs--a broken promise that's now growing by seven jobs every minute. Right now, Congress is considering whether or not to fund emergency unemployment benefits for some of the more than 11 million jobless workers in America. Click on the link below to send a message about the urgent need for jobless benefits to President Bush with a copy to your senators and representative, or keep reading for more information. www.unionvoice.org...
If you're still supporting Bush by now, you're also supporting the ruination of what little hope this Nation has to recover from Federal acts of Treason upon its own citizenry. They've not only put millions of more Americans out of work, but also seeking to deprive them of any support while trying to get back into the workforce at all!

Nov. 12, 2003 Even though both houses of Congress responded to your appeals by voting to block President Bush's overtime pay cuts, the president is refusing to withdraw his pay cuts and says he will veto final legislation protecting overtime pay. Back-room maneuvering by the Bush administration and House Republican leaders has made it increasingly likely that the overtime pay protections we won will not make it out of Congress this year. Bush's Labor Department could put the overtime pay cuts into effect as soon as January. We still have a final chance to stop President Bush from taking away overtime pay from some 8 million workers if we make our voices heard. As many people as possible need to contact their senators and U.S. representative and tell them not to come home for the holidays without acting to protect overtime pay. Click below to take action or keep reading at the link for more information. www.unionvoice.org...
Not only are the neocons making it harder to stay in work or find more work, but they're also screwing those who still *do* have a job!

It's just those "NeoCon" Bu#es huh MND?
Not.......
You see, its not just the FTAA, its about the sametime discussions going on to further open the Asian trade zones...Middle East trade zones, etc......

"Pro-trade Democrats urge more U.S. free-trade pacts"
Link:
www.chinapost.com.tw...

"Export Illusions: Most International Trade Agreements are about Investment, Not Exports"
Link:
www.tradealert.org...

"In China Trade, the Joke is on the American Public, in particular on US Workers"
Link:
www.tradealert.org...

"The tradeoff of trade with China: jobs"
Link:
www.twincities.com...

"Walsh Says "Free Trade" Should Be "Fair Trade" "
Link:
www.publicbroadcasting.net...

"THE FTAA: A CHANCE TO SHAPE THE RULES
OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE"
Link:
usinfo.state.gov...

"Trade Promotion Authority: A pyrrhic victory for Free Trade and the FTAA?"
Link:
www.nuevamayoria.com...


This issue not just a "neocon" issue....its covers the Democrats as well....
I am not in favor of FTAA, but I believe that it will succeed, as well as the opening or free trade agreements with China/Asia, Middle East, etc.....
To be quite frank about it....the future trend of the economic world is heading to a one big global free trade zone.


regards
seekerof

Also consider that, it may be viewed as a means of 'locking - in' via trade agreement, a contract to continue to use the USD as the primary trade currency. Venezuela is in the meetings also, but rarely mentioned.

Also there is a split occuring amungst countries during discussions, some want a seperate, or a two-level agreement, utilizing the WTO in certain trade issue's.

Here's some recent bad news (from the AFL-CIO)related to what I've posted up above:

After weeks of strong-arming, President Bush succeeded in keeping the ban on his overtime pay cuts out of end-of-year legislation, even though bipartisan majorities in the U.S. Senate and House had voted with workers--and against President Bush. These are the same strong-arm tactics the Bush administration used on Medicare and other issues. Once Bush's Department of Labor announces a start date (which could be in December) the new overtime rules will sadly go into effect and strip overtime pay from millions of ordinary working Americans.

URGENT ACTION is required, and in response the AFL-CIO is calling for an OVERTIME PAY NATIONAL WEEK OF ACTION starting Dec. 1 when we'll ask you to help spread the word about Bush's overtime pay take-away. Talking to your friends, family and co-workers about President Bush's attack on overtime protections, the 40-hour workweek and the weekend is the most important thing you can do. Our best hope for beating Bush's overtime pay take-away is to involve millions of Americans in this growing movement.

...Even though Bush has *already stonewalled against the majority of Congress* this...


However, it may not be too late to get the overtime pay *back*:

The AFL-CIO has a page where you can send a fax for free to your senators and representative on overtime pay. You don't have to be a union member. Please click on the link below to help protect overtime pay. www.unionvoice.org...

I did so & recently (just today, as a matter of fact) got a reply:

"I understand & share your opposition to the proposed rule cahnge affecting overtime compensation for working families. Many families depend upon overtime to make ends meet. As you may know, Congressman David Obey introduced an amendment to H.R. 2660, the FY 2004 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill which would effectively block the Administration from changing the overtime compensation rules with out Congressional Approval. I voted YES on this amendment, however it failed to become a part of the final House version of the legislation by a vote of 210 to 213. Senator Harkin was successful in including a similar amendment in the Senate version of the Bill..."

He goes on to say that a joint House-Senate committe are working out the differences between the two versions. There are *some* people in Congress who aren't going to give up on this...


[Edited on 25-11-2003 by MidnightDStroyer]

Originally posted by Seekerof
It's just those "NeoCon" Bu#es huh MND?
Not.......
You see, its not just the FTAA, its about the sametime discussions going on to further open the Asian trade zones...Middle East trade zones, etc......

"Pro-trade Democrats urge more U.S. free-trade pacts"
Link:
www.chinapost.com.tw...

"Export Illusions: Most International Trade Agreements are about Investment, Not Exports"
Link:
www.tradealert.org...

"In China Trade, the Joke is on the American Public, in particular on US Workers"
Link:
www.tradealert.org...

"The tradeoff of trade with China: jobs"
Link:
www.twincities.com...

"Walsh Says "Free Trade" Should Be "Fair Trade" "
Link:
www.publicbroadcasting.net...

"THE FTAA: A CHANCE TO SHAPE THE RULES
OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE"
Link:
usinfo.state.gov...

"Trade Promotion Authority: A pyrrhic victory for Free Trade and the FTAA?"
Link:
www.nuevamayoria.com...


This issue not just a "neocon" issue....its covers the Democrats as well....
I am not in favor of FTAA, but I believe that it will succeed, as well as the opening or free trade agreements with China/Asia, Middle East, etc.....
To be quite frank about it....the future trend of the economic world is heading to a one big global free trade zone.


regards
seekerof

Actually, NEO CONS are dems and Repubs. You know the Democratic Leadership Council - it's just as NEO CON as Bush's chickenhawk crew.

[Edited on 19-09-2003 by EastCoastKid]

Sorry Seeker, didn't see your last comment at the bottom.

I agree with MidnightDestroyer. The NEO CON agenda is killing our country.

[Edited on 19-09-2003 by EastCoastKid]

The sad part in all this is that FTAA is not as bad as what the dems and liberals did to North America. They dems/libs opened up NA to unrepetant competition with Asia, particularily south east asia.

We can handle FTAA because the economies of the Americas fit together better than they do apart in many ways. Look at the facts many economies in NA are crude and totally inefficient will likely remain low tech or even agricultural in nature yet they have high populations that require most services and products.

When you deal with south east asia though you are dealing with a low cost environment where they can produce up to 80% or more of what we can produce with current infrastructure.

I found that it was the left of centre crowd that desired this 'world trade' more than the conservatives did. The reason is simple, the conservatives have the ear of small to mid-sized business more than the liberals do. Small and mid-sized business is LOCAL in nature unlike multinational conglomerates which operate GLOBALLY. That is why conservatives tend to prefer regional trade pacts over GLOBAL plans which represent an extreme shock in change.

I really don't know why American's think they are the only ones affected by this. All the low level manufacturing and call centre etc jobs in the U.K are going abroad too. I imagine it's the same throughout Europe.

This is Globalisation and your beloved Capitalism at work folks. This is what you all bought into. Get used to it.

Where are all the jobs going to?

[Edited on 25-11-2003 by surfup]

I don't mean you all as in all of you. I'm just as clear as a puddle of mud.

Your very correct kegs.
And no sweat ECK, understandable.


regards
seekerof

Next thing you know none of us will have jobs and they will be charging us for their social security benefits, now thats crazy.

Its the same thing with how they are trying to privatize schools etc, where the heck are our tax dollars going towards? This will just widen the gap between the have and the have nots.

Piss on the NeoCons, the Dems, the Liberitarians, the Independants, whoever. Whoever the voters vote for, the government wins. As long as someone holds office, new ways will be found to screw the public.

I don't know guys, I guess when I hear the term neocon thrown around I usually associate it with propaganda. they aren't 'neo' really, more like paleo-cons.

Anyway, we've had great economic news of late. Look at yesterdays GDP news. Business spending is up, and employment, which is always the last indicator to kick in, is starting to pickup. (no ones even trying to say it's going to be a jobless recovery anymore).

I don't know what to make of this trade business, really. It does seem a little unfair, to the US, if we grant a country like Belize full access to our market, in return we get access to their tiny market. On the other hand, I don't see many of these countries growing their economies �or improving their quality of life - without access to markets like ours NOR do I see the US growing our economy if we want to manufacture shirts, toys, and other cheap stuff like that.


[Edited on 25-11-2003 by Bob88]

I remember when there were a bunch of jobs, millions of jobs......when Clinton was president.

Originally posted by Bob88
Anyway, we've had great economic news of late. Look at yesterdays GDP news. Business spending is up, and employment, which is always the last indicator to kick in, is starting to pickup. (no ones even trying to say it's going to be a jobless recovery anymore).

[Edited on 25-11-2003 by Bob88]

JOBLESS RECOVERY......just like the last time.

and going to 5.9 from 6% unemployment isn't much of a jump. Bush hasn't created ONE job since he's been in office but destroyed 3 million.

[Edited on 25-11-2003 by Colonel]

Doesn't appear that it is all as bad as they say it is to me.Link

Originally posted by Colonel
I remember when there were a bunch of jobs, millions of jobs......when Clinton was president.

Yeah but those jobs were mostly in the computer and internet industry were they not.I don't believe Clinton was responsible for that.If so then was he responsible for the tremendouos dive it took too?

You can stop reading the fluff and get a detailed analysis here:

misleader.com...

Originally posted by Daz3d-n-Confus3d

Originally posted by Colonel
I remember when there were a bunch of jobs, millions of jobs......when Clinton was president.

Yeah but those jobs were mostly in the computer and internet industry were they not.I don't believe Clinton was responsible for that.If so then was he responsible for the tremendouos dive it took too?

22 million or so jobs JUST in the tech industry? You believe that? Or is it more likely that it spread to ALL sectors.