Bush is trying to get get free trade agreement passed but in during his 3 million manufacturing jobs have been lost. We as a nation import more than than we export creating a trade deficit and also weakening the dollar. Because of that The Canandian dollar has the same value as the US dollar. More over the countries that he seeks to have free trade agreements such as South Korea won't allow US beef or Auto into their country but they can send their good to us. The pact with Columbia has human rights issues that could mirror China's record on human rights violations.


Bush warns protectionism will cost U.S. jobs
President ramps up free trade blitz amid flagging support for new pacts
Updated: 6:59 p.m. ET Oct 13, 2007
WASHINGTON - Alarmed by slipping support for free trade even among Republicans, President Bush is arguing that protectionism will cut Americans out of chances for more — and better — jobs.

Bush has launched a blitz on behalf of pending free trade pacts with four nations. He continued the push Saturday in his weekly radio address.

"More exports support better and higher-paying jobs," the president said. "And to keep our economy expanding, we need to keep expanding trade."

His radio address followed a speech on trade he delivered Friday in Miami. Bush also granted interviews this week to business-oriented news organizations.

Since Democrats took control of Congress in January, it has not approved any free trade agreements that the administration has negotiated, and it has allowed Bush's authority to negotiate future deals under expedited procedures to expire.

Before lawmakers now are agreements with Peru and Panama, considered likely to pass, and with Colombia and South Korea, both seen as precarious. The deal with Colombia is in trouble over human rights issues and there is strong opposition to the South Korea agreement because of barriers erected by Seoul to keep out U.S. autos and beef.

Bush pledges funds to retrain workers
The administration already has reached agreement with Democrats to include tougher language on protecting worker rights and the environment. But critics say five consecutive years of record U.S. trade deficits have played a major role in the loss of more than 3 million manufacturing jobs since Bush took office in 2001.

"I know many Americans feel uneasy about new competition and worry that trade will cost jobs," Bush said. "So the federal government is providing substantial funding for trade adjustment assistance that helps Americans make the transition from one job to the next. We are working to improve federal job-training programs. And we are providing strong support for America's community colleges, where people of any age can go to learn new skills for a better, high-paying career."

‘Get these agreements to my desk’
He said the deals would level the playing field for American businesses and farmers, many of which now face high tariffs on exported products while other countries enjoy relatively open access to U.S. markets. And he argued that freer trade with allies serves "America's security and moral interests" around the globe.

"Expanding trade will help our economy grow," Bush said. "So I call on Congress to act quickly and get these agreements to my desk."

After spending Friday in Florida talking trade and raising money for the Republican Party, Bush flew to Texas for a weekend stay at his ranch. He travels Monday to Rogers, Ark., for a speech on the budget and to Memphis to raise money to help Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., in his re-election bid. The president returns to Washington Monday evening.

its the carnage of a game of chess.... we're expendable short term and necessary long term as consumers somebodys' collectively confused, including me! I don't like being a pawn, and I don't like stepping over anyone. oh well

This is a very sore subject with me. We have and continue to sell our country out. Outsourcing of jobs, mostly manufacturing, and now telecommunications, has had a devastating affect on the economy. They wonder why the housing sales have dropped so dramatically? How can people think about buying a house when they're not sure that tomorrow they will be keeping the job that has always been able to afford them the things they need. Companies/corporations are foregoing offering employees benefits and retirement, so that they can pay their CEO's and large shareholders huge bonuses and profits. What will they do when the day arrives that they've cut, cut, cut and there won't be anyone to work so they can maintain their glorious lifestyles? It's very frustrating to call for help regarding account status, technical help, or general information in some cases, and you can't even speak to someone who speaks English!!! I often wonder what would the forefathers of this country, the ones who built it from scratch, think of it now. The American people have become second class citizens in our own country.

Ok....I'm stepping down from my soap box.... While this will probably make you cringe, the 1950's lifestyle looks pretty good right now. It's too bad we can't take back some of the simplicity, loyalty, trust and even a little naivety that we took for granted back in "the good ol' days."

The housing market is in trouble because the lenders got carried with easy money loans to people who couldn't afford them.
High taxes on buisnesses and retrictive enviromental policies and unions have more to do with the outsourcing than free trade.
Ask 3M.
If you owned a buisness and could pay workers less and be more financially stable because of cheaper labor costs and lower taxes would you keep your buisness here just because you presume a buisnesses main objective ifs to employ people?
Sorry but a buisness exsists to make money. Not to be a jobs program.

Tell that to Ford, GM, Chrysler, Cannon Mills, Burlington mills, GE, etc, etc, etc......

Your jobs are going overseas to child labor and lax laws that make it cheaper for these companies to do business their. Where they dont have to pay pensions plans to employees, or provide Insurance, and they still get the benefit of less taxes and no protective tarifs.

They get all this and a bag of chips from dumbass politicians who sell out to the corporate lobyist, and bank on you not being smart enough to fiqure it out!

So if i can do buisness cheaper in another country or even another state i should stay in the more expensive enviroment just to make you happy and provide jobs?

You should be charged the protective tarifs that were lifted in the early 80's late 70's that protected our jobs and lifestyles from the very thing we see today!!
Charged so that it is more worth their while to do business here, and maintain our lifestyle. Charged so that if they dont stay here we can pay the lost medical and retirement benefits they stole and created by an untold increase of a labor force living in the poverty zone. Charged so that they realize where the largest market for their goods are in the world! Charged so that they remember where the market and labor force are at that made them wealthy!

Charged so that they remember this is a country of the people, and not a country of the corporation's lobbyists!!

Their greed will keep them here then!!!

Further more, we should reenstate the draft. Then maybe they wont be so anxious to start wars for their greed if their sons and daughters are forced to fight and Die as well.

Then if we must go to war and their sons survive, they wont be so eager to send the job of a man that stood in the line of fire with their child overseas!

Maybe then the bastards will think more like Americans than greedy ass business men and politicians!

HAHAHAHAHA......God forbid you should make a profit if you own a company. Maybe we could get the Dems to pass a law were everyone makes the same no matter thier job or skill or social standing. Then everyone can be the same and there will be no jealousy because someone is more successful then another.
Why punish someone if they can do buisness cheaper? Is that so bad? Oh yes i forgot then their profits grow.....horrible thing that that is. Wouldn't want to have a profitable compant now would we. Just tax(confiscate) all thier profits would that make you happy?

Ha ha ha ha That complacent attitude is what has led us where we are today!!

The protective tarifs were lifted, the Union regulated and the jobs left. The companies werent losing profits before, they managed to get filthy rich. Now they get rich while the everyday American loses..

Truckers are next! Small businesses are failing at a record pace, and illegal immigration is at an all time high so companies (construction) that cant leave the country can bring in cheap unregulated slave labor.

Your arguements sound like a neo-con brainwashing video!!!

3 million manufacturing jobs have been lost. what do these people and their families care about an extra million dollars for the Corporations!!!

It wont be long and they wont even be able to afford the cheap Chinese products made by 12 year olds!

Its kinda hard to dumb down that many people!!!

It wont be long and these trucking companies will have to dumb down. When they have to compete with the cheap shipping costs of Mexican companies, we will see how many shut their doors and lay off truckers!

$20.00 an hour the avg American Trucker makes and thats not much, but $20.00 a week is what a Mexican truck driver will haul the same load for!

I know many a block mason and textile worker that has already paid that price for a corporations profits and greed, so dont tell me what is good for an American worker!

When the hurt comes your way, then tell me!

The housing market is in trouble because the lenders got carried with easy money loans to people who couldn't afford them.




The people, who once had good paying jobs and could pay the morgage, had their jobs outsourced!!!!

The lenders have either claimed bankrupcy or have resorted to taking advantage of illegal immigrants inability to speak and understang english to pass off bogus morgages on them!

I could go on with real arguements and examples for hours, while you are stuck on the profit margins of the poor rich corporations!!!!! Bahh humbug!!!!! Im a Hard working American, not a ****ing fool!!!!

Do you think an extra million for a corporation is worth my neighbors children going from being insured to being on welfare just to get medical treatment, medical treatment you say should be denied them because it cost too much.

Do you think its worth a corporations profit that the neighbor two doors down from him should not be able to take a 1 week vacation every year so his family can go to the beach?

What about your neighbors, your family, how low are you willing to let their lives go before you'll throw away that Bush indoctrination manual and Wake the **** up??

free trade is a farce!!! We are supposed to have free trade but its never happened!!!

There is a saying in the trucking industry

"NAFTA will SHAFTA"

supposed to have been SHAFTYA