Let's send more American jobs overseas as a result of these deals. Yea Pugs! Your misson of destroying the American middle class is nearly complete!

Nothing says, a STRONG American middle-class quite like, 'Made in Columbia or Panama' now does it?

The affirming of a cabinet position should not be dictated by a party's agenda, but rather by the ability of the person being nominated. One again, the Party of No is asserting their "NO" stamp.

Delaying confirmations to get action would be almost as bad as leaving a state to prevent a vote. Hopefully neither party will do either.

With unemployment still a major problem, why the hell are repubs obsessed with shipping even more jobs to other countries. They must really hate the working class.

The Republicans approve of big businesses sending jobs overseas (the main cause of unemployment), and they dare attack the Democrats for not "focusing on jobs"? And they dare attack us for our "double-standards"?

Hey, maybe Scott Walker could send a few public employee jobs overseas. Maybe teachers. Yeah, that's it. Lay off all the teachers and save all those "rich" $26,500 a year pensions. No more messing with vouchers and private schools: just send the poor kids from Milwaukee to Colombia for really cheap education. They can ride back and forth on buses fueled with gas from the Koch brothers' refineries. Give them each a gun to protect themselves as they travel through the Arizona desert. Jan Brewer says there are headless bodies out there. The NRA should love that. And if the kids don't make it back, well that's just less health care to provide on the public dime.

Dang. What is anyone complaining about? This could go national. The possibilities for savings should be endless.

p.s. Bob's comment should NOT HAVE BEEN collapsed.

Always against collapsing comments MB, well, except for those annoying ads.

Anna Molly-

In spite of everything...

You deserve a BIG hug!

Gawd...

I'm so sentimental.

Not sure about you, Indy...maybe a handshake?

No offense taken MB; I seriously doubt I'm as cute as Anna.

Let's send more American jobs overseas as a result of these deals. Yea Pugs! Your misson of destroying the American middle class is nearly complete!

Panama and Columbia aren't overseas, but point taken.

Let's see...keep what's left of the middle-class air passage open or hold up a few appointments...this one wil take some thought.

Sentimental? If only, Bag Boy ... if only. ;-)

What happened to serving the people? Since when are we here to serve foreign countries? Since money spoke louder than the constitution and declaration. I <3 GOP :D

Jeez you f'n libs, don't you understand? The republicans are creating middle class jobs... in the middle, or central, America... Now these enriched ultra-wealthy can put their $700 billion in unpaid for tax breaks to investment in textile companies and automobile assembly plants in countries south of Mexico. That will also slow the illegal immigrants from migrating north for work since all the new jobs will be south. See how the Republicans solve problems. Take notes you evil commies.

Zeroscout, if only you had a clue. Sorry to burst your bubble, but the wealthy spend their days using their money to even out their losses on the stock market. The notion that tax cuts create jobs is a fallacy. Just ask any real reputable economist.

Don't know where many of you are coming from on this and other issues...our politicans have been bought and paid for for years...everything done by them is for the good of wall street, the wealthy and big business....these so called free trade agreements benefits no one USA citizen....but do wonders for the businesses that have left this country for cheap labor..which if folks will take the time to notice are in the country's that have dictators or the like...their pay is totally controlled by their governments...the republicans and dem's both are locked into lobbyist. MOst every country has lobbyist in washington..and hand out money to our elected to get what they want..and they get whatever it happens to be.

What has Obama obstructed?

Yes, Shawn, what has President Obama obstructed? The tax cut extension for the rich? Oh, wait, he compromised to make the GOP stop holding the extension for 98% of Americans hostage.

Shawn, please do tell. We're all interested in knowing what he has "obstructed". Maybe it's all those positions still unfilled? Nope, can't be that as the republicans are guilty of continual use of silent holds on SO many positions. In matter of fact, the republicans have used silent holds, filibusters, etc. to hold up appointments to judicial, etc. Truly inexcusable. I would like to see what they say should the democrats play the same game (which they might but to a much smaller degree given historic differences between left and right tactics).

You might want to research the facts on how much the right has done to obstruct the nomination process, legislation, etc. It truly is shameful.

FYI, jnye, when people learn of the real content in the healthcare bill, do they still so vehemently object? Polls show more interest in the bill when individuals get past the noise put up by the right. (of course the right would never mis-characterize

Or perhaps they could all be big boys and girls, meet at the table, and iron out any disagreements, or at least know what the disagreements are. Seems as though the Republicans (and I am one) are being a bit obstructionist, but why is the President not moving forward on the trade agreements?

By the way Jim, not moving forward, or at least defining the problem, is being obstructionist.

Anyone remember the rights' obstruction of the bill to help ground zero first responders to pay medical bills?

JNye....that is right, 1 1/2 years of debate is cramming it down our throats. Town hall meetings, session after session in committee. Right, it was proposed and passed in 3 hours.

Wa, Wa, Wa. You sound like a kid in the second grade on the school grounds. He did it so I can do it. Wa, Wa, Wa.

Prove it JH....I'm tired of lies....

Hey JNye, how about citing a few references of your data points?

CNN polls reported on May 29th, 2009 that 63% of Americans favored national health care to 36% opposed. In case you have trouble with math 63% is greater than 36%.

Poll. "Poll: Americans OK with more government health care influence." CNN.com. 29 May 2009.

And its amazing you would make that statement. See, Obama won the 2008 election 365 to 173. A victory of about 2 to 1. And, if you consider 18 months of talk, debate and negotiations to qualify as "cramming it down our throats," then our school system truly is lost.

Two things.

First. The democrats, Obama and Emmanuel did screw us on the health care. But not for reasons your dumba$$ brings up. They attempted to get both national health care and the political contributions from health care insurers by avoiding the real issue with our health care system. The McCarran-Furguson act of 1945 and the section 6 amendment to the FTC Act. The first preventing anti-trust laws (Sherman Act, etc) from applying to insurance companies and the second preventing the FTC from regulating insurance as interstate commerce. Look it up.

It should be mentioned that Republicans overwhelmingly oppose repeal of McCarran-Furguson. So, what happened to their free market creed? They allow monopolies for insurance companies? That just doesn't jive with their statements on good for the people and good for businesses (well, good for the insurance industry).

Second. I want to slap people like you who are unable to stand up against those you favor for doing exactly what it is you oppose. You are right to say that an elected official, no what the victory margin, should have no right to impose his will upon the people as if he had a mandate. So I ask you, where were you during the first 8 years of this century? Did you complain when the Repubs crammed the Patriot Act down the public's throat? How about the invasion of Iraq? Tax cuts for the rich, to the tune of $1.4 TRILLION, during war and unpaid for?

How do you feel about Wisconsin's governor and legislators cramming their ideals down the throats of the people of Wisconsin? I mean, Walker only won with a 52% victory, that's not statistically a majority if you have a 3% margin for error. But he's ok playing King of Wisconsin.

If you don't make hypocritical statements, you wouldn't have to be slapped.

zeroscout

He also didn't run on destroying unions or giving tax breaks to business and then balancing that on the backs of middle class workers (you know the bottom feeders). He never would have been elected had he mentioned any of his real agenda.

Please explain in what way these free trade deals will benefit the U.S. What are the positives and the negatives? What exactly is in these agreements?

Here is place to start:

http://www.export.gov/fta/

Here's more:

The United States has free trade agreements in force with 17 countries. These are:

• Australia
• Bahrain
• Canada
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Israel
• Jordan
• Mexico
• Morocco
• Nicaragua
• Oman
• Peru
• Singapore

The United States has signed free trade agreements with Colombia, Korea, and Panama, but Congress must enact legislation to approve and implement each individual agreement in order for them to go into effect.

The United States is also in negotiations of a regional, Asia-Pacific trade agreement, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement with the objective of shaping a high-standard, broad-based regional pact.

Source:http://www.ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements

Thank you, Go USA. I know we have a lot of agreements but some have not always been written in our best interest, some have given unfair advantage to the other country.

On Capitol Hill, meanwhile, a free-trade agreement with South Korea languishes; like similar agreements with Colombia and Panama, this trade deal is largely the victim of politically influential labor unions and their hold on leading House Democrats. money.cnn.com

Caterpillar, alone, has been begging for the trade agreement to Columbia. 70% of the earth-movers made in Peoria, Illinois, are sent overseas. Having laid off a bunch of workers in the recession, CAT is anxious to open new markets and hire those people back.

Passing the Trade Agreements will create jobs.

I do believe hearing the same song and dance when NAFTA and the trade agreement with China was passed. What ever happened to the 3 million jobs that NAFTA was to have created?

When wages in Mexico started to rise, American business moved to China. Now wages are rising in China, and American business are looking somewhere else so that they can pay less.

The United States currently has trade deficits with 99 different countries. American business invested more then 200 billion dollars last year in overseas markets. The American people are wondering when American business will start hiring again. They never have stopped. They just aren't hiring here. The Bush tax cuts to business was to have encouraged investment in the US, and create jobs here. Instead all it has done is given American business more money to invest elsewhere.

Candice, Bartlett, IL

On Capitol Hill, meanwhile, a free-trade agreement with South Korea languishes; like similar agreements with Colombia and Panama, this trade deal is largely the victim of politically influential labor unions and their hold on leading House Democrats. money.cnn.com

Caterpillar, alone, has been begging for the trade agreement to Columbia. 70% of the earth-movers made in Peoria, Illinois, are sent overseas. Having laid off a bunch of workers in the recession, CAT is anxious to open new markets and hire those people back.

Passing the Trade Agreements will create jobs.

Or... they could move production over there and not have to pay any tarriffs at all. Its cute how you think that businesses are looking out for the little guy.

Mike-416

Mike that's exactly what they have done (Caterpillar in China). Then they park the profits off shore so that don't have to pay taxes. Some people are just naive and think that business cares about our middle class bur they don't. That's what is infuriating about the tax cuts they get they use them to create jobs everywhere but here.

Good question!

Politics pure and simple. What else?

They can't and won't explain!! Obstruct is all they "NO"!

Why do we have these agreements in the first place? All they do is allow access to American markets by proponents of cheap labor.

According to the International Trade Administration's website:

Free trade agreements (FTAs) have proved to be one of the best ways to open up foreign markets to U.S. exporters. Today, the United States has FTAs with 14 countries. In 2006, six new FTAs were implemented: with Bahrain, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Morocco, and Nicaragua. Last year, trade with countries that the United States has FTAs was significantly greater than their relative share of the global economy. Although comprising 7.5 percent of global GDP (not including the United States), those FTA countries accounted for over 42 percent of U.S. exports.

Sounds like that would create jobs to me.

It is my understanding that democrats on the committees have concerns over Panama's labor and tax haven laws and concerns over continued anti-union violence in Columbia. Don't know about anyone else but "tax haven" sounds like a way for US business to find another Cayman Island tax dodging loophole. Columbian violence against pro-union forces is a way to keep their wages lower making it again more advantageous for US jobs to be shipped overseas.

It is also my understanding that the Obama administration wants the Korea trade agreement to be done at the same time as Panama and Columbia.

According to the International Trade Administration's website:

Good you find a more bias source?

Minan59

According to the International Trade Administration's website:

Good you find a more bias source?

I'm sure if he looks hard enough he could.

Grand Moff

If First Read explained anything in detail it wouldn't give the lefties much to whine about. MSNBC is great at getting half the truth out there. This story is a prime example. Demonize the republicans for wanting to get some unfinished business off the table. Call them obstructionists.

Sometimes someone has to use strong arm tactics to get things done. I wonder how soon Harry will be out in front of the cameras whining.

Just because an "American" (and I use the term loosely)company is selling it doesn't mean it was made here.

According to the Washington Post, the trade agreement with Colombia has bi-partisan support in the Senate. The problem is the White House won't submit the agreement to Congress.

Why won't the White House submit the agreement to Congress? Because the unions oppose the treaty. And the White House is bought and paid for by the unions. The White House would rather have American workers unemployed than stand up to the unions.

Candace,
the Unions represent American workers. if they oppose this trade bill with Panama and Columbia, might it not be in the best interest of the manufacturing industry in America? Too bad the Republicans were only giving lip service to "jobs, jobs, jobs."

Amy,

In this case, the unions are more concerned about the Colombian workers. The labor union bosses in Colombia are being murdered. The US union leaders have a problem with this, (as we all should, by the way). However, the Colombian government has made great progress against the guerillas doing the murdering. Stepping up efforts against the guerillas was a major condition put forth by the Bush administration who negotiated the treaty originally. So much progress had been made, in fact, that support for the agreement rose from both sides of the aisle, including from Hillary Clinton.

Colombia desperately wants our heavy equipment (from Caterpillar and Deere). They want food from our farmers (and Archer Daniels Midland). They want technology from our tech companies. Ratifying the Trade Agreement will create these American jobs.

The Republicans (as well as Democrats) want the agreement ratified because of the U.S. jobs this new market will create. So, it's not lip service. This is one actual effort that would actually create real jobs.

The unions don't always make good decisions on behalf of the U.S. worker. Their "Union Yes" mentality has quite often cost more jobs than they protected.

These Free Trade Agreement would help destroy more of the US economy, by allowing investment in these nation instead of the US. The problem with the US economy is no matter how much we try to export, we will always increase import by so much more. These Agreements are job killing measures. They take jobs out of the US and will farther destroy the US.

reason and logic - so much for reason and logic, we are in a global economy.

Amy B - What is the % of american workers represented by unions? Take away the public unions and what is left. Nor even close to 50%. You expect us to believe that the union leadership has the rank and files best interest in mind let alone the rest of the American workers?

Go USA-851295

Sounds like that would create jobs to me.

In what country?

mike416- from usa's block quopte...

Free trade agreements (FTAs) have proved to be one of the best ways to open up foreign markets to U.S. exporters.

"US exporters" implies jobs made in the USA.

Yes American, but just because it implies something, doesn't necessarily make it true or fact.

The Party of Nope- comprised of a class of "dopes". How dare they once again hold this president hostage because he is refusing to do what they say. Why aren't the American people getting tired of this kind of behavior.

PS: Obamacare wasn't "rammed down anybody's throat." Read the bill -there are many republican initiatives in it. However the lying republicans found it better to claim they weren't allowed to participate. What a bunch of whiners! PS? I love the bill. I just added my 22 year old son back on my family policy until he decides what to do next. Get rid of the republicans once and for all. We don't need their lies.

Unions are about the only organized group that opposed these treaties promoting outsourcing. If we had many unions , like Germany and had labor represented on our public owned corporate boards we may have retained some control over the pigs that are destroying America for slave labor and wall street profits.

Jody, Iowa, unfortuantely, there are those in the republican party who think this is what is needed. Mitch McConnell said it best when asked what the priorities of the party were, he said, "Our top priority is to see this President fail!!". If the President fails we ALL fail!! The republicans in power ( I don't beleive everyday working class republicans believe this) only care about getting and retaining power so they can reward their campaign contributors, the coporations who paid to put them in office! I don't think they give a hoot now that they are in power what the working class thinks or feels!!

Then you have the TEA Party which have morphed into some sort of Anti-Government, religous/racists zealots!! These people have the "Whatever it takes to get my way mentality!! The more trouble they raise the more air time they get. The more air time they get the more crazy they sound! They are about as Anti-Christain as they can get!! Putting themselves and their greed before others. The feed on the lowest commonalities of human kind, fear hatered and greed! Nothing which Jesus would have supported!

Well Liz, let's just remove the republicants completely and watch the wheels turn and roll us FORWARD for a change.

Of course, this means workers will get paid less and more jobs will go to foreign nations. These agreements kill US investment and US jobs. Anyone who supports this BS, should be tried for treason, because the US economy is crap and will be crap so long as Free Trade exists with 3 world nations.

Who introduced free trade and who promoted NAFTA? I will take part of the blame because I bought Bill Clinton's spin and voted for him twice. I still like him. Sometimes things that look good on paper don't end up being that good when put in action.

His support of nafta is what gave us 8 years of Bush in a close election.

It wouldn't have been a close election either time if Bush hadn't stolen it through election fraud.

Thanks for posting this Kevin. Always helps to have a reminder of the facts behind the headlines.

No matter how many exports you produce, imports will always be higher. This will lead to US job losses, and no investment in the US. The whole Free Trade ride is based on cheap labor and a falling middle class. The wealthy made more profits under free trade then they could in a fair trade environment. Just look at the trade deficits of the 3rd world nations and the US. Each trade deficit is a nail in the coffin of the US economy.

Jody, CEO of Boeing, GE Jeffrey Immelt, NBC, MSNBC.

Big corporations push for these agreements because they want access to the cheap labor. Our government has helped them destroy our middle class. Of course banks and wall street love slave labor and big profits. If we don't organize against this insane greed they will put us in depression and chaos.

Free trade agreements end up costing Americans more jobs than they create. It is time to enact fair trade agreements instead.

I don't dispute we have many trade agreements but some have not been written in the USA's best interest. I would rather have Congress get the newest agreements right without holding a nominee hostage just because one party or the other can play games. Free trade agreements should be carefully reviewed and passed. What I disagree with is threatening to hold up nominees, that's hostage taking and/or bribery, take your pick; it is petty politics.

@ Mr Aho, what it means is more corporations MOVING to Columbia and Panama and shipping products back here and paying no tarrifs!! That is what happened with NAFTA!!! Us companies went south to Mexico and then ship their goods into the US for sale. The price of the goods went up, the wages paid went down and the profits skyrocketed!!

If we are going to preserve our "American Dream" we need to break trade agreements that favor corporations and other countries and reinstate tariffs so that the American Worker is saved!! If a corporations faces tariffs that makes it costly to build product outside the US then they will bring jobs and factories back!! If we continue to reward corporations who move their factories outside US boarders then we are KILLING the working class!!

blueingoregon

Good post and this point has been made many times but it falls on deaf ears with the right. They won't be happy until this country is destroyed but we can't and won't let this happen.

Thank you RC, I am afraid you are right. It does fall on deaf ears. Just like the union busting going on in the midwest. people can't think beyond today and don't realize the tsunami that will hit them in the future when ALL unions are busted and the working class is broken!! The unions are NOT made up of Uber Wealthy Aristocrats!! They are hundreds of thousands working men and women who have band together to bargain for a better life!!

They are our neighbors, our friends, they belong to our churches our lodges, they are our bowling buddies, our nascar fanatic friends, they are our children's teachers, they are the police, and firefighters we depend on for our lives, they are the guys fixing our streets. They are NOT our enemies!! They are NOT the guys who recieved a 300% raise while we recieve a 3% raise. They are NOT the guys that laid off workers around you and now expect YOU to pick up the slack!! They are NOT the guys who put us into the this recession because they greedily played the market and lost!! They are NOT the people who put their money in Caymen accounts so the IRS can't touch it!! They are NOT the people with 5 or was it 7 homes across the world. They, are workers just like 99% of this country!! They pay bills and their taxes, they pray for better times and worry over putting food on the table. These are NOT the people who should be demonized, they should be praised for the work they do to make OUR lives better!!

Well put, we need many more unions, not less. Germany is heavily unionized and they have labor represented on their public corporate boards; As a result they do not have our horrible income gap and they have better wages, better benefits, full health care and a higher standard of living than the US.

Our unions are about gone and there is an attempt to gut them all. This leaves no counter against our corrupt corporate and financial systems. We are in trouble!