FTA and human rights
From Business Week:
President Barack Obama may send free- trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama to Congress for consideration as soon as today, according to a person familiar with the administration’s plans.
The trade pacts reached under President George W. Bush and revised by President Barack Obama have been stymied in a stalemate with House Republicans over benefits for workers hurt by import competition. The Senate voted to extend the aid on Sept. 22, and House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, said he would consider the program, called Trade Adjustment Assistance, in tandem with the trade deals once the Obama administration submits legislation to enact the agreements.
So it seems the basic plan is to submit the agreements and try to make Republicans take the blame if they are unwilling to spend money on the TAA.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch issued a report saying that almost no progress had been made in recent years to prosecute those who killed trade union leaders. Human rights, however, seem to have disappeared from Obama's statements about the FTAs, as Colombia is praised for advances in human rights. In fact, the administration's criticism of the deals shifted rather seamlessly from human rights to the TAA.
1 comments:
U. S. Congress approves free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama - This is a Triumph and a Great Opportunity for President Obama - It has Great Political Importance for the USA and the other three nations, domestic and international importance for all four nations
.
Every business has risks, there is no business without risks. If Free Trade is not "Fair Trade" for any nation, then that country can repeal, revoke or rescind the treaty or agreement.
Demagoguery works by fear. I can understand that people oppose treaties before they are approved by the Congresses and Parliaments, that opposition can be good and just to get a better deal, but once they are approved and beginning to take effect, opposition becomes very useless and counterproductive.
It is obvious that South Korea is a very strategic country ( remember a war ), so this is a declaration of support, or a political and military alliance and obligation.
Panama and Colombia are at the heart of Latin America and are neighbors of Leftist Nations that have no great sympathies for the USA. Panama and Colombia are geographically and strategically very important, just look at a map and you will see the two oceans. And they are good allies of the USA.
This is an Environmental Declaration of the U. S. Government because these two Latin American countries are superb in Biodiversity, Forests, Jungles, etc ... and have many microclimates, exotic plants, animals, etc ... so this is a compromise and obligation with the future of the Biological Planet.
These nations have great potential as consumers of American Cereals and other products like Milk, Ham, Cheese, Eggs, etc ... and as producers of very exotic vegetables, fruits, flowers, coffee for the American Consumer. There is a hidden potential for tea and wines.
Perhaps this means that the Clothing Industry, Fashion Design, Textiles and Apparel of the New Latin Partners will export more to the U. S. and at the same time the Latins will consume more American Cereals and Animal Products and the most advanced technology products of America like Computers, Electronics, Software, etc ..
Post a Comment