Bush Pushes Colombia Free Trade Pact

President Sends Controversial Agreement To Congress, Forcing Vote Within 90 Days

(AP)  President Bush on Monday sent Congress a controversial free trade agreement with Colombia - a move that will force lawmakers to vote within 90 days on the pact, which is heavily opposed by Democrats.

Democrats contend that Colombia has not done enough to halt violence, protect labor activists and demobilize paramilitary organizations. The president disagrees, saying Colombia has addressed the issues.

"People throughout the hemisphere are watching to see what the United States will do," Mr. Bush said. "If Congress fails to approve this agreement, it would not only abandon a brave ally; it would send a signal throughout the region that America cannot be counted on to support its friends."

The letter Mr. Bush signed in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building transmitted legislation implementing the trade pact to Congress. Lawmakers won't formally receive it until they return on Tuesday.

Mr. Bush's action will force Congress to take up the proposal under a fast-track process that will require votes within 90 days. Officials said Mr. Bush is acting now in order to force a vote before Congress leaves in the fall for the campaign season.

The president, who has staked out free trade as one of his top legacies, is also hoping to win congressional approval before he leaves office on pending free trade agreements with Panama and South Korea.

During the 16 months since the president signed the trade agreement, the Bush administration has led trips to Colombia for more than 50 members of Congress and has held more than 400 consultations, meetings and calls to push for its approval.

Mr. Bush's action came one day after Mark Penn quit as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's chief campaign strategist when it was reported that he had met with Colombia's ambassador to the United States to discuss the free trade agreement, which Clinton opposes. Presidential spokesman Tony Fratto said he was not aware of any contact between the White House and Penn on the Colombian trade deal.

In economic terms, the deal would largely open up the Colombian markets for American goods without many of the duties that now exist. Colombia is already able to send most products to the United States duty-free, but the deal would strengthen that preferential access, a boon to the country and to its investors.

Today, nearly all of Colombia's exports enter the United States duty-free, while American products exported to Colombia face tariffs of up to 35 percent for nonagricultural goods, and higher tariffs for many agricultural products, Mr. Bush said. He said that the trade agreement would eliminate tariffs on more than 80 percent of U.S. exports of industrial and consumer goods.

"Many products in key American sectors, such as agriculture and construction equipment, aircraft and auto parts, medical and scientific equipment, will enter Colombia duty-free," Mr. Bush said. "If you're an American farmer, it's in your interest that this agreement get passed. After all, farm exports like high-quality beef, cotton, soybeans and fruit will enter duty-free."

Failure to approve a free-trade deal with Colombia would encourage Venezuela President Hugo Chavez's anti-American regime and cast the United States as untrustworthy and impotent across South America, Mr. Bush said.

He said the deal with Colombia, a strong U.S. ally in the Western Hemisphere, is important for national security reasons. He praised President Alvaro Uribe as committed to democratic values and he noted that since 2002, Colombia has reported declines in kidnappings, terrorist attacks, murders and violence against union members.

"Despite this progress, Colombia remains under intense pressure in the region," Mr. Bush said. "It faces a continuing assault from the terrorist network known as FARC, which has seized hostages and murdered innocent folks, including Americans, in an attempt to overthrew Colombia's democracy."

Mr. Bush said Uribe has addressed violence by demobilizing tens of thousands of paramilitary figures and fighters, addressed attacks on trade unionists by stepping up funding for prosecutions, has established an independent prosecutors unit and created a special program that protects labor activists.

"President Uribe has done everything asked of him," Mr. Bush said. "While Colombia still works to improve, the progress is undeniable, and it is worthy of our support."

He said Colombia also faces a hostile, anti-American regime in Venezuela, which has met with FARC terrorist leaders and deployed troops to the Colombian border as a means of intimidating the Colombian government and its people.

[tucano2]

If Congress has any sense at all (which it probably doesn''t) it will kill this treaty proposal the day it gets to the hill.

[swwils]

This will get signed one way or another.We have been working with the Colombians for over 27 yrs.I was their in 82-83,and Panama.President Regan had no recollection if he signed the paper work,for the covert missions.We searched found and destroyed many coca plants,fields,and labs.The cartels stayed crazy thinking their Government(F.A.R.C.)was responsible.This trade will go through,we sold Colombia 18 Blackhawk,and Apache helicopters not very long ago to help fight the cocaine problem.We again need a home base to watch over Venezuela(oil)sad but true!

[cfin5]

A trade agreement with any other nation should be fair and free in that order.......Fair should always trump free.

[jt_lancer]

We must STOP free trade NOW!

We CANNOT allow peaceful Americans to voluntarily exchange goods and services for mutual benefit!

Americans should only be allowed to buy the goods and services that the politicians allow them to buy.

At government approved prices.

Of course, if its not good for you, Americans should not be allowed to buy it at all.

Trans fats? No way.

Cigarettes and alcohol? Not a chance.

Obesity-inducing fast food? Forget it.

Trust me, people. The Nanny State knows what is best for you.

Let us take away the heavy burden of decision-making in your life.

Let us decide what is best for you.

I''m Hillary Clinton and I approve this message.

[vmcneal2]

If Bush thinks the Colombia Free Trade Pact is a good idea than it''s a bad idea. Let''s face it, the Bush track record for doing the right thing for the United States is not all that great.

[mjvw2]

A hot dog is a type of fully-cooked, cured and/or smoked moist sausage of soft, even, texture and flavor. It is usually placed hot in a soft, sliced bun of approximately the same length as the sausage, and optionally garnished with condiments and toppings.

[jt_lancer]

Anyone who thinks the government can ''create'' jobs out of thin air is economically illiterate.

Jobs are created through investment in the private sector - investment that is intended to create goods and services that people voluntarily desire.

Every dollar confiscated by the government to spend on ''job creation'' or welfare programs comes at the expense of spending or investment in the private sector.

Government, by nature, spends inefficiently, as they are more concerned with political concerns.

For example, the Senator from Iowa is likely to advocate for ethanol subsidies and import tariffs against foreign crops - even if they are against the best interests of all Americans - in order to improve his chances of reelection.

[killtheliars]

As an American you need to look at this and ask yourself will free trade with Columbia make me better off? Will it add dollars to my pocket, will it add buying power to my dollar? Will it life any better for poor Americans?
The question you don''t need to be asking are; will this make the average Columbians life better? To americans this should not matter, we did not create thier situation and have no obligation to better their lives.
We live in a world with limited resources. Any time one nation''s people get more another nation''s people get less. Recently anytime another country improves their standard of living America''a middle class looses something.

[b-easy63]

EUREKA!!!! It turns out HRC DID actually sign a pledge agreeing not only to not campaign in Mi and FL but also agreeing to NOT seat the delegates. She signed it in the fall of 07.

http://www.democraticunderground.


com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&
ad
dr
ess=385x115322

Now, of course she wants to renege, because what has occurred does not favor her. Sounds like someone just wants to cheat..er I mean... win..any way she can even if it means breaking her SIGNED pledge. So much for what that woman promises-- Hillary will lie, break promises, backstab or do anything to suit herself--NOT the country--but Hillary does it FOR Hillary, whenever following the rules or the law is not convenient.

[b-easy63]

B-EASY68 - TONY PERKINS A MCCAIN SUPPORTER - Tony Perkins is President of the Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council Perkins addressed the Louisiana chapter of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC), America''''''''s premier white supremacist organization, the successor to the White Citizens Councils, which battled integration in the South. In 1996 Perkins paid former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke $82,500 for his mailing list. SHOULD MCCAIN DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM MR PERKINS?

Posted by BLACKSPIRIT3 at 11:12 AM : Apr 08, 2008