Obama American summit goals at odds with summit leaders

(CBS News) President Obama embarks on a weekend of summitry with Latin American leaders in Cartagena, Colombia. The White House hopes to use the meeting to spotlight the economic benefits of hemispheric trade.

In a clear signal that the president is, in effect, bringing his reelection campaign to the Summit of the America's, he made a quick stop in politically important Florida before traveling to Colombia. In an 11-minute speech, he told an audience at the Port of Tampa, "We want them (Latin American countries) spending money on American -made goods, so that American businesses can put more Americans back to work."

The port is a major shipping point for exports to Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and other trading partners. It is the latest backdrop in the president's election-year effort to remind voters that increased trade generates more jobs. The White House notes 40 percent of U.S. exports go to Latin America. (The president faces a political balancing challenge on the trade issue. Unions, a major Democratic power base, have often criticized trade deals with Latin America countries, fearing lower wages south of the border reduce job opportunities at home.)

However, some of Mr. Obama's summit partners have other ideas. Summit leaders are more interested in discussing options to deal with illegal trade - drug trafficking and southbound gun running.

Summit host Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has endorsed Guatemalan President Otto Perez's call for a dialogue on potential drug legalization, and said so in a carefully worded speech void of hot-button words such as "legalization" or "decriminalization." Furthermore, Mexican President Felipe Calderon believes drug consumer nations should consider "market alternatives" if they cannot reduce demand.

In a pre-emptive move aimed at keeping the legalization idea from gaining traction, Vice President Biden traveled to Mexico last month to insist there was "no possibility" the U.S. would consider what would be a dramatic policy change. Elaborating on the stand, Dan Restrepo, the National Security Council's point-man on hemispheric issues told reporters, "U.S. policy on this is very clear. The president doesn't support decriminalization."

Restrepo said President Obama sees room for "legitimate debate" on the issue as an avenue to "demystify this (legalization) as an option." Restrepo argued that legalization is not viable "because of the problems that come with it and because it won't end transnational organized crime."

The foreign policy adviser noted the decriminalization discussion is "not a new issue in the Americas nor is this an issue where there is a consensus among the countries."

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said the administration acknowledges a "shared responsibility... to confront transnational organized crime in the Americas, largely fueled by the drug trade."

Foreign policy experts estimate drug trade is a $400 billion a year business that cuts an often violent swath through every country in the region. A 2011 Justice Department drug threat analysis confirmed the toll on the U.S., warning that the availability of drugs was increasing.

But there are some signs of positive change as public health statistics show a drop in cocaine use.

Latin American critics of the U.S. "war on drugs" say the decades-old policies have not worked. Guatemalan President Perez told the Washington Post, "the strategy that we have followed these 30 or 40 years has practically failed and we have to recognize it."

While officials portray U.S.-funded efforts to curb drug crops in Colombia as a success story, neighboring countries complain the eradication program has merely sent production of cocaine and other illicit substances across borders.

President Obama will also face pressure from Latin American leaders on U.S. policy on Cuba. While the White House emphasizes actions the president has taken to ease travel restrictions on Cuba and allow Cuban-Americans to send money to their homeland, he can be expected to avoid any discussion of lifting the 50-year U.S. economic embargo on the island nation. Noting election-year politics, the longstanding policy is a crucial issue with Cuban-American voters in Florida.

Latin American leaders view the embargo as a failure that can complicate U.S. dealings with countries that enjoy good relations with Havana. The U.S. effectively vetoed a summit seat for Cuba. Policy adviser Restrepo told reporters that the administration would back Cuba's inclusion if the Castro regime enacted democratic and economic reforms. "The path is there for Cuba's return to the inter-America system and we very much hope Cuba will travel down that path as soon as possible," said Restrepo.

The president's visit to Colombia continues a season of summitry. Last month he was in South Korea for an international nuclear summit. In May, he will host a G-8 gathering at Camp David and a NATO Summit in Chicago. In June, he travels to Mexico for the G-20 summit, which provides another opportunity for the President to appeal to Latino voters who will play an important role in key states in the November elections.

Election year politics will likely prevent the president from offering the other leaders any signal of his intentions on another sensitive issue, immigration reform. Lack of movement on that topic has disappointed many Latino voters.

Just hours before President Obama arrived, Colombian leader Santos pointedly suggested Mr. Obama should pay more attention to the region. "If the United States realizes its long-term strategic interests are not in Afghanistan or Pakistan, but in Latin America... there will be great results," Santos said.

White House officials note the Colombia visit is Mr. Obama's fourth trip to the region since taking office. Security adviser Ben Rhodes insisted administration policies have "opened the door to greater economic and security cooperation" in the region.

[nonpolitico]

So, Pres Obama wants the S Americans to "buy more American goods"??
Is this the same politician who has presided over the LOSS of American Manufacturing.
We need to go "Back to the Future".
In the late 50s, early 60s, the USA produced three quarters of all manufactured goods in the WORLD!!
In 2012, an American President goes cap in hand to the Latin American countries.
Time for a change? I would say so!!
Time for a REAL American in the White House!!!

[Daves1221]

If we want "THE PEOPLE'S" America back, Voters must punish the Politicians, Governors, Mayors, special interest groups and the whole blend of elected officials that are harboring foreign nationals, who have implemented Sanctuary cities ordinances, who have driven policies of the Dream Acts, Chain migration ID Theft, Voter Fraud and other catastrophic Comprehensive Reform packages. But more important than anything else is to remove this President before drives us into further debt, which we cannot possibly survive. Even citizen voting privileges are not safe anymore, from groups like ACORN involved with voter fraud. Every voting precinct in America need to check their election rolls, as Non-citizen voting is a Federal felony and should be prosecuted as such. Investigative reporter James O'Keefe rendered proof positive that organized hordes of illegal "voters" can extensively warp the results of elections throughout the nation, just by claiming the identities of registered voters in those particular districts.

The stunning investigative report by Andy Pierroti of NBC-2 in Fort Myers included interviews and voting documents illuminating nearly 100 non-citizens who are illegally registered and in some cases have voted in elections as far back as 2001. One Naples, Florida voter admitted she was not a U.S. Citizen, nor a legal immigrant - but election records show she voted six times in the past eleven years. The U.S. citizenry must step forward and adjoin with the TEA PARTY "THE PEOPLE'S PARTY" to stop the erosion of legal rights, which are being reduced by this administration. Remember the TEA PARTY is millions of like minded members in chapters across our nation, who does not discriminate against any race, color, religion as long as you entered the United States legally. Both parties have abused immigration enforcement, by neglecting the fence and the incompetence of acknowledging that ID theft is out of control, that every foreign worker is committing a felony by using U.S. victim's Social security number and identity in the majority of cases, but nothing has been accomplished to halt these issues.

[Daves1221]

There are many Constitutional minded, a non-profit organization whose dedication is to lower immigration and enforcement of immigration laws, that unless them two parties start by securing the border and have remained inert to increasingly alarmed public of their deteriorating quality of life due to sprawl, congestion, overcrowded schools, lost open spaces and increasing restrictions on their individual liberty caused by the new population explosion! Stop this travesty that is being deliberately bypassed by the Senate and House. Close all the loopholes in the law, which is pandering to the illegal alien invaders.

When did this country genuflect to the crazy environmentalists, stopping us from drilling for more oil? Our country can be self-reliant as we have huge deposits of oil, natural gas and coal, which will last generations. The land doesn't belong to Congress, but all of the people who live here. We should not be paying $3.98 a gallon, when we could be importing oil from Canada. Stop the huge banks from speculating over on oil; at least reduce the percentage to 10 percent for speculators? The illegal alien occupation are racking up over a $100 Billion dollars a year, with no end in sight. How much more money will Obama soak us for, to pay not just for illegal aliens, but U.S. residents who are perpetual welfare recipients? Did you know that illegal foreign workers are estimated to wire over $40 Billion dollars annually outside this country to foreign banks? Do you think that "Obamcare passes" that illegal aliens will have to pay their own insurance? Health Care for illegal aliens is already a unfunded Mandate for the 50 states, for these people pouring through every bloody hole or flying into America from God knows where is going to pay—ZERO. NOTHING! Just like they do now for education, as they pay nothing for all their children who have swamped our school system. Foreigners have become cannibals of taxpayers' money, forced on them by the courts. Yes! They pay some taxes, but not enough to cover this country's huge deficit?

Obama is skirting the laws of the Congress, to implement another sordid avenue, to covertly allow illegal aliens to stay and in addition allow family members to join them. You can also learn more of the Obama government ignoring your Constitutional rights of citizens and they can easily be located by surfing the net with keywords as illegal aliens—costs—ID theft—Voter fraud. Enter several words in Google with spaces in between. These are websit that the Democrats and Liberals don't want you to view. It allows the reader to investigate a daily helping of articles of National and rural media, not compliant with the liberal agenda of "Political Correctness" established by the by Left to divide the country. Learn more about the E-Verify program to extract illegal aliens from the workplace and other policing applications as the "Secure Communities" for local police to detect and criminal aliens by fingerprints for another resource for ICE.

[malcolmkyle]

Some simple facts:

One day soon, Obama, Biden, and every single last one of the so called 'drug warriors' will all stand trial as drug war criminals.

* Colombia, Peru, Mexico or Afghanistan with their coca leaves, marijuana buds or poppy sap are not igniting temptation in the minds of our weak, innocent citizens. These countries are duly responding to the enormous demand that comes from within our own borders. Invading or destroying these countries, thus creating more hate, violence, instability, injustice and corruption, will not fix our problem.

* A rather large majority of people will always feel the need to use drugs such as heroin, opium, nicotine, amphetamines, alcohol, sugar, or caffeine.

* The massive majority of adults who use drugs do so recreationally - getting high at the weekend then up for work on a Monday morning.

* Apart from the huge percentage of people addicted to both sugar and caffeine, a small minority of adults (nearly 5%) will always experience the use of drugs as problematic. - approx. 3% are dependent on alcohol and approx. 1.5% are dependent on other drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, heroine etc.

* Just as it was impossible to prevent alcohol from being produced and used in the U.S. in the 1920s, so too, it is equally impossible to prevent any of the aforementioned drugs from being produced, distributed and widely used by those who desire to do so.

* Prohibition kills more people and ruins more lives than the drugs it prohibits.

* Due to Prohibition (historically proven to be an utter failure at every level), the availability of most of these mood-altering drugs has become so universal and unfettered that in any city of the civilized world, any one of us would be able to procure practically any drug we wish within an hour.

* Throughout history, the prohibition of any mind-altering substance has always exploded usage rates, overcrowded jails, fueled organized crime, created rampant corruption of law-enforcement - even whole governments, while inducing an incalculable amount of suffering and death.

* Apart from the fact that the DEA is the de facto enforcement wing of the pharmaceutical industry, the involvement of the CIA in running Heroin from Vietnam, Southeast Asia and Afghanistan, and Cocaine from Central America has been well documented by the 1989 Kerry Committee report, academic researchers Alfred McCoy and Peter Dale Scott, and the late journalist Gary Webb.

* It's not even possible to keep drugs out of prisons, but prohibitionists wish to waste trillions of dollars in an utterly futile attempt to keep them off our streets.

[WalterWaitingForNovember]

Nice to see an American President doing something to help our country. Our country has improved by 300 percent internationally because of the Democratic Party. The George W. Bush, Dick Less Cheney, Karl Rove, Jeb Bush quad not only had our country attack Iraq unjustifiable but it threw our international partnerships around the word in the toilet.