At Americas Summit, Battle Looms Over Free Trade

[Judi Lynn]

At Americas Summit, battle looms over how to create jobs, fight poverty

By BILL CORMIER

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina (AP) - Leaders from 32 American countries and thousands of protesters are demanding the same thing as they converge on this seaside resort: jobs and better wages. But they disagree on how to accomplish that goal, with U.S. President George W. Bush expected to push free trade and demonstrators angrily opposed.

Few believe the summit Friday and Saturday will solve chronic joblessness and poverty, and even those with jobs in Argentina's Atlantic resort of Mar del Plata question whether Bush and the other leaders will end up crafting deals that help the poor.
(snip)

Other differences over the summit's declaration have also emerged. Venezuela wanted the declaration to state that 37 million people lived in poverty in the United States, a clause the United States didn't support.

Leftist activists got their message out early by staging a so-called People's Summit and vowing to stage a large-scale march Friday to reject free market programs.
(snip/)

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2005/11/02/1289781-ap.html

[xchrom]

1. this is where reality bites.

the leaders involved in the free trrade agreement are not going to give ''the people'' what they know they need to live.

they are going to give them what ''some people'' tell them ''the people need''.

unfortunately too many of their fellow citizens the world over are numb to the dangers that free trade poses to their livelyhoods. sad.