Free-trade pact called threat to U.S. sugar

[The Sushi Bandit]

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Dec/23/bz/bz02a.html

BATON ROUGE, La. — Exiting and incoming governors of Louisiana took part in a protest to President Bush about a trade agreement that will allow more Central American sugar into the United States, saying it will devastate Louisiana's sugar industry.

Hawai'i also was among the states solicited for help. Sugar-growers here have opposed the free-trade agreement, saying it could spell the end of the sugar industry in the Islands. Gov. Linda Lingle's office said last month that it sent a letter to President Bush asking that sugar remain exempt from any free-trade negotiations.

[damnraddem]

1. Free trade, free trade, free trade! The U.S. rallying cry.

Until an American industry is hurt by it.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. Hasn't LA just replaced a R gov with a D one? Punishment? (nt)

[Flightful]

3. Sugar protection hurts American industry

A lot of confectionery companies have been "offshoring" production because of high sugar prices in the US; the best-known example is Lifesavers that are all made in Canada now. Company management cited the cost of sugar as the reason for closing the US factory.

[davidinalameda]

4. but aren't costs higher in Canada than in the US

taxes and all that

[mbperrin]

6. Not that much difference in taxes - and sugar

is 5 times cheaper!

Jolly Ranchers located in Colorado for years has also gone to Canada!

[ender]

11. and health care is nationalized...

so a lower cost to employers there...

lower cost of living... means lower wages...

[Jacobin]

5. Good. that'll help Louisiana vote dem in 2004.

[pfitz59]

7. Wanna know about US sugar?

Read up on the Fanjul Brothers and the havoc they've wreaked on the South Florida ecosystem! Goodbye cane sugar, hello beets.

[oneighty]

8. Amen

Get the Fanjul Brothers out of Florida, free Cuba, get America back.

180

[robcon]

9. There is no justification for sugar quotas.

The U.S. is the largest exporter of food in the world. The U.S. has NO business restricting other countires exports of food into the U.S.

The sugar quotas are a tribute to political payoffs by sugar farmers over the last four decades to whichever party was in power.

[Alpharetta]

10. environmental damage of sugar plantations in Florida

I believe the sugar growers have destroyed a great portion of the Everglades by pulling water from it and allowing it to become too saline

Maybe this is not an industry we want to weep over