CAFTA Vote Tonight - John Kerry: CAFTA is a Giant Step Backward

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry: CAFTA is a Giant Step Backward
30 June 2005

The CAFTA vote in the Senate is expected later tonight. John Kerry spoke on the Senate floor this afternoon about his opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

The remarks that follow are as prepared:

"I have supported free trade for the past two decades. That includes NAFTA, the Uruguay Round, China PNTR, and the many bi-lateral agreements negotiated by the Clinton and Bush Administrations. I continue to believe that open markets and robust trade will benefit America's workers, consumers, corporations and ultimately our security.

"At the same time, we cannot hide from the fact that the benefits of global economic integration bring some very real costs and some very real risks. For a number of years now I have been arguing that Washington must set out a strategy for trade and better prepare America to compete in the global economy.

COMPLETE FLOOR STATEMENT HERE - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=1191

[meganmonkey]

1. Here we go!

Kerry's statement sounds good to me.

*fingers crossed*

[realFedUp]

2. This bill has been around for a year or more....

and Bush Inc. didn't want any changes to it until
the sugar states started screaming and now they
want to shove it against the 4th of July holiday
with one day of Senate floor debate. Shameless.

what else is new.

[unlawflcombatnt]

3. Hooray for Kerry

Thank God John Kerry hasn't been bought out by the big US multinationals. I've also posted here about CAFTA. Let's all try to keep this discussion in the forefront. We've had some Democratic turncoats as of recently. One of them is my own U.S. Senator, Dianne Feinstein. She won't be getting my vote next time, even if I have to vote for the Republican opponent.

Hats off to Senators Byrd, Dodd, and Kerry for speaking out against this sellout of American workers.

We need to increase pressure on our representatives to vote against this slavery-promoting bill.

[unlawflcombatnt]

4. Bump

Bump :bounce:

[bvar22]

5. Support the American Worker!!!

Withdraw from NAFTA.

Fair Trade NOT Free Trade!!!!

"FREE TRADE" has become a holy mantra used to END any discussion. I believe that this is a cleverly crafted "meme" that has been successfully marketed by the Corporatists using our CorpoMedia propaganda network. Even John Kerry used it to end a discussion in the Primary Debates when asked about outsourcing.

Many proponents argue that FREE TRADE is INEVITABLE. Globalization and the InterNet cannot be stopped!
This is completely BOGUS. Globalization is NOT some NEW THING that is a product of the InterNet. Globalization started when the first primitive man/woman gathered up the stone tools he/she had crafted, journeyed to the next cave, and traded them for some food. Globalization has been happening for thousands of Years and has NOTHING to do with the InterNet. The InterNet makes it possible to access information; it does NOT make it any easier or inevitable to trade goods and services. It does not even make it easier to transfer capital. Wire Transfers have been around for longer than 1/2 century.


The stated GOAL of the FREE TRADERS is to "Remove the Barriers to Trade!" What they fail to mention is that those "Barriers to Trade" were in EVERY case put there for a reason, and that reason is ALWAYS to protect something worthwhile. What the FREE TRADERS really want to do is remove ANY obstacle limiting the ability of their Corporation to increase PROFITS for the owners by any means possible.

The FREE TRADERS are always quick to brand someone a "PROTECTIONIST" if they dare to question the sacred IDOL of Free Trade. Some things are WORTH protecting. PROTECTIONISM is NOT necessarily a bad thing especially when protecting one's family, protecting the ability to earn a decent living for LARGE segments of a nations Workers, protecting the Environment, protecting the cultural assets of a civilization, or protecting a nations natural resources from predatory Corporations!!!

In those respects, I AM A PROUD PROTECTIONIST, and it is time to debunk the myths, broken promises, and outright LIES being marketed by the "FREE TRADE for EVERYONE" salesmen!




For healthy Corporations to exist within our communities, they NEED regulation and public accountability. Since corporations are paper creations that have no soul, they must be forced to do certain things.

*Corporations must be forced to be environmentally responsible.

*Corporations must be forced to pay fair, living wages.

*Corporations must be forced to provide Health and Retirement benefits to their workers and the families of their workers.

*Corporations must be forced to allow LABOR collectives.

*Corporations must be forced to provide a Safe and Healthy Working Environment.

*Corporations must be forced to pay fair compensation to those it harms.

*Corporations must be forced to observe fair hiring and labor practices.

*Corporations (especially those that use the natural resources of a nation) must be forced to dedicate a percentage of their profits to Humanitarian and Community benefits (Healthcare, Education, and infrastructure).

*Corporations must be forced to observe FAIR TRADE and PRICING practices.


The reason that Corporations must be forced to do the above things is that NO Corporation will do them on their own. And that is OK and as it should be AS LONG AS there is an effective regulating agency that ensures FAIR competition and a LEVEL playing field. Without that regulation, it is a race to the bottom. The most cold-blooded sociopath WINS. There is plenty of evidence available about the effects of unrestrained Corporatism:

US History 1870-1929 (Some regulation was applied by T Roosevelt in the early 1900s)

The deregulated Savings and Loan Market of the 1980’s

The deregulated Energy Market in the Western US in 2001

The Mexican NAFTA disaster
http://www.aflcio.org/issuespolitics/globaleconomy/ns04192001.cfm

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/05/04/28_cafta.html

http://bernie.house.gov/documents/opeds/20040127181128.asp

http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/nafta.htm

I AM A PROUD PROTECTIONIST, and it is time to debunk the myths, broken promises, and outright LIES being marketed by the "FREE TRADE for EVERYONE" salesmen!

[LSK]

6. on CSPAN2 right now

Sen Dorgan is giving rethugs a history lesson!!

[realFedUp]

7. Did anyone just watch Byron Dorgan's speech on the floor?

Great speech. I'd like a copy of that one.
He's against CAFTA, NAFTA and SHAFTA.
:-)

[LSK]

8. i saw it, it was awesome

And I'd love a transcript of it.

"NAFTA, CAFTA, SHAFTA"

"America Online now India Online"

[realFedUp]

30. Time to call your state Congress people

actually you can probably catch them in
their home offices next week.

[unlawflcombatnt]

32. Dorgan's Speech

Dorgan's speech was great. I was trying to get out the door when it started and I just couldn't pull myself away. He again stated that these trade agreements are just a way for corporations to shop globally for the cheapest labor. He also mentioned a statistic that should be continually brought to the forefront. The United States has lost 50% of its manufacturing since in the last 25 years.

Hopefully the bill can be blocked in the House.

[LSK]

9. Harry Reid speaking now

CSPAN2

[bvar22]

10. Roll Call Vote "In Progress"

At Least we will get to see WHO is on the Corporate Payroll.

[Rainscents]

12. Is this tread will be roll call? Or is someone going to start new tread?

[Rainscents]

11. I'm crossing my fingers, this bill will go down!

[Alizaryn]

13. I lost count...

Is anyone counting?

[rustedace]

14. Is CATFA similiar to Clinton's NAFTA?

n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. It will make NAFTA look like children's play

[bvar22]

26. CAFTA is NAFTA on STEROIDS!!!

*

[kerrygoddess]

28. CAFTA Sucks! N/T

[Idioteque]

16. We would have stopped it...

...if it wasn't for the vichy dems.

Boooo----->Nelson(FL), Nelson(NE), Murray, Cantwell, Lincoln, Pryor, Jeffords, Feinstein, Wyden, and Bingaman

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. It passed.... DAMN THEM!

Fior the record if Feinstein makes it out of the primary next year I ain't voting for her

[wisteria]

22. What a shame!

I would for once like to see our whole party vote in unison on something as important as this is to the average American worker.Damn!

[unlawflcombatnt]

18. Senate Approves 54-45

Thanks to the support by at least 4 Democrats, CAFTA passed the Senate. The Democratic Senators voting for "SHAFTA" included Feinstein (CA), Wyden (OR), Nelson (NE), and Lincoln (AR). Without the help of these Democrats, CAFTA would not have passed the Senate.

Thanks should go to at least 6 Republicans who showed the courage to vote against this bill. Included are Senators Graham, Snowe, Thune, Shelby, Collins, Specter.

Again, it would not have passed without the assistance of at least 4 Democratic Senators, who elected to vote in favor of slave labor, and against the American worker.

Apparently the bill has not passed the House yet. I urge everyone to write to their Congressional representative.

[LSK]

19. Dorgans speech would be a good thing to send to Congress

It was brilliant. Anyone know where I can get a transcript of it?

[LittleClarkie]

23. Give it a day or two and it should appear on the Congressional Record

I think I heard part of that. He said that we were getting nothing from the deal, but benefitting a section of the world that wasn't much bigger than Cincinnati.

[Rainscents]

20. Please post the votes please! Yea, nay...

[Elwood P Dowd]

21. They are only a few votes short in the House

Bush will buy them off, and it will pass. Next up will be FTAA, which is all of South America. We are doomed.

[Rainscents]

24. I am very sad and shame of Dem's who voted for this shit!

:(

[Tux]

25. 2006 is the time

To remove free trading Democrats. Free trade will only cost us more jobs, provide lower incomes, and create monopolies. This free trade crap led to the Great Depression once and may do it again. Time to head this crap of now. Leave WTO since they seem to promote free trade. Trade treaties need to be fair for both sides. If corporations can't get what they want, part of life so deal with it.

[kerrygoddess]

27. Roll Call Vote

YEAs ---54
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Chafee (R-RI)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Frist (R-TN)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Wyden (D-OR)

NAYs ---45
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Boxer (D-CA)
Burns (R-MT)
Byrd (D-WV)
Clinton (D-NY)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corzine (D-NJ)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feingold (D-WI)
Graham (R-SC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)

Not Voting - 1
Lieberman (D-CT)

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00170

[bvar22]

29. Proud members of the DLC, New Democrats, 3rd Way Democrats.

The 3rd Way Democrats HAVE found another way to get RICH...by selling out the Working Class of America. They will laugh about it over steak dinners at the RICH WHITE COUNTRY CLUBS with their Republican friends and owners.!!!

Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator, CA proud member DLC

Ben Nelson, Democratic? Senator, NE proud member DLC

Bill Nelson, Democratic? Senator, FL proud member DLC

Maria Cantwell, Democratic? Senator, WA proud member DLC

Blanche Lincoln, Democratic? Senator, AR proud member DLC

Mark Pryor, Democratic? Senator, AR proud member DLC



DID NOT VOTE (didn't want to go on the record. Bill already passed, so he could duck out.)

Joe Lieberman, Democratic? Senator, CT proud member DLC



Two Democratic Senators who are not official members of DLC, but sold their vote anyway:

Ron Wyden, Democratic? Senator OR

Patty Murray, Democratic? Senator WA

[LittleClarkie]

33. Cut Joe Lieberman some slack! His mom died!

It had nothing to do with not wanting to go on record.

[bvar22]

35. You're right. Joe isn't afraid to "go on the record".

[blm]

36. Lieberman wasn't there because his mother died.

Indecency is for the Repubs.

[eridani]

31. Good for him!

And shame on the WA state delegation. :mad: :puke:

[LSK]

34. i keep hearing from Rethugs about opening new markets

Well lets go over to the CIA World Factbook and look at those new markets:

Dominican Republic
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2004 est.)

El Salvador
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2004 est.)

Guatemala
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.)

Honduras
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,800 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2004 est.)

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

With that extremely wealthy new market, I can see why the Rethugs want this. NOT.