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Republican senators have just announced that they will block the confirmation of a new Commerce Secretary - or any commerce related positions - until Democrats move on free trade agreements for Columbia and Panama.
Forty-four GOP senators signed on to a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid Monday, vowing to hold up the nominations until "the President submits both agreements to Congress for approval and commits to signing implementing legislation into law."
"The time for delay is over," they write. "Colombia and Panama are strong democratic allies in Latin America and both have undertaken serious and meaningful reforms, many of which directly address the concerns of those who want to further delay these agreements. Yet the administration continues to move the goalpost by withholding clear direction and not providing a specific timetable for implementation."
The previous Commerce Secretary, Gary Locke, was just appointed by Obama to be the next ambassador to China, replacing possible GOP presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman.
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Go, Republicans, go !! Hold off on this appointee until the 2011 budget issues are solved to your satisfaction !!!!!
Willie, do you want more jobs in the US to disappear?? That is the only thing we got from NAFTA , were jobs moved south!! Got news for you NAFTA was a Bill Clinton baby and republicans are just expanding it!!
It is NOT about Budget issues, it is about FREE TRADE agreements? You do know there is a difference, right?? Or do you just follow whatever republicans tell you to follow??
Too much kool-aid, Willie-boy, and not enough education.
Go Republicans! Right out the door in 2012. Wisconsin was the wake-up call that showed your true colors to the American people. This time the American people will vote the Koch Brothers' money right out of government.
More right wing "free trade" BS that actually only results in free US market access by US corporations with products made from slave wage labor countries. This idea has already presented what happens. This economic theory is flawed on so many levels. What we export to these countries are "raw materials" lumber, minerals ect.. while they produce and manufacture products there for 15 cents and they are sold in our US market for a 10000% markup resulting in bigger corporate profits. Not jobs for the people.
Not to mention cabinet appointments being held hostage by the right wing corporate representatives. Why? Because the appointment either has to agree to this or they need to get this trade deal first. How can anyone of sound mind and body support the right wing or even Obama at this point?
Yes I am sure Colombians and Panamanians are going to be buying US products right? We don't even make anything here anymore first, second how can they afford it on their third world salaries? Another giveaway by the right wing AND OBAMA to corporate interests. SMH.
Actually, the US is still the world's leading manufacturer.
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Here is what LEAN manufacturing has done for our family. My husband in his factory has to work 7 days a week...9 hours mon-Fri and 8 hours on Saturday and Sunday. There is no union. They HAVE to work when told. He works at a job that pays less than 15.00 an hour. He makes more on overtime. (over 40 hours). He has been off work for a total of 4 DAYS....yes 4 DAYs since the first of the year. He gets in at 4 and goes to bed by 7. I barely see him most days. If we had small children, they would not know their dad. This is where ALL factory jobs are headed....LEAN MANUFACTORING.....SLAVE LABOR. When they get rid of minimum wage....the republicans will have scored ANOTHER great victory for stock holders. You may have an increase in HOODLUMS...due to having been raised with an absent father. But...we already see this...dont we? AND...we all pay to house these prisoners....so what is cheaper in the end? Decent wages for decent work is not too much to ask for. It makes for people being able to buy homes...and property and autos....all the things that benefit americans. LESS WELFARE. We should be exporting LEAN MANUFACTORING...and barring them from selling their goods in this counttry.
CJ-374408
Great post and thanks for shedding light on what the plight of our workers are going through. I am afraid that is the long view of all business so that they will have slave labor here once again.
I find myself skeptical of any Republican push for ratification, or why this is such an issue for them now. Since I am not one to blame any form of coming apocalypse on the present administration (as opposed to any other administration that has held the White house), If there are concerns with these agreements with Panama and Columbia, I think the rest of us are entitled to now what they are, and I think the administration has a duty and obligation to consider those concerns when deciding to move forward on them.
So here is my cynical suggestion. Again, why is this so important to the Republicans right now. What do they stand to gain (or perceive they will gain) by once again trying to bully the President into doing something that he himself is not so sure about. Republicans of late hardly have a track record for being concerned for the common individual in this country, and they definitely don't have the appearance as a political group of actually caring whether or not there is even a functional middle-class in America. Jobs can't be the issue, because everything they have proposed in the House has little if anything to do about creating jobs. What is it? What is so important about these so-called free trade agreements that they would once again attempt to bully the President into signing.
It distresses me to say it, but the rules of old Noir detective novels still holds true here. Follow the money. I'm willing to bet that if there is a financial and/or political payoff for the Republicans right now that will benefit their rather myopic few of the world, than that's what it is about. How much money is in it for the Republicans, and I think you will find your answer.
I sense recess appointments coming on.
ANOTHER CARD ON THE TABLE FOR THE REPUB'S.
I will block a Comm Sec. not on his/her qualifications, but because we want a free trade deal that will further send jobs out of the US.
Oh that's right, then you can blame the Pres. for the high unemployment rate.
Remember the Repub's in the past year also blocked every bill that gave Bus. incentives to bring jobs back to the US or reduce tax credits to companies that inc jobs over seas.
THEY SURE DON'T KNOW HOW TO HIDE THEIR CARDS
Stop the free trade this will mean more US job oversea!
Trade liberalization is the opening up of the economy through removing any restriction on foreign trade this allow for a number of abusive economic manifestation such as transnational corporation bringing in they own mass produce product undercutting the indigenous production and ruining the local economy. An example is Jamaica, which after accepting loan and conditionality from the World Bank loss it largest cash crop market due to competition with Western imports. Today countless farmers are out of works for they are unable to compete with large corporation.
This also happened to Hawaii with their sugar cane crop and is also happening with their pineapple crop.now they use sugar beets for sugar and pineapples come from south America. People need to buy American goods. better yet is to buy local
The GOP is not interested in free trade, they want a "free-for-all" trade agreement. Economic anarchy won't make capitalism work, that's covered in Economics 101, but it will screw the middle class.
And isn't that the goal?
I think the only thing that American workers can do is invest in ourselves. The american worker is sitting on the largest block of invest able cash on the planet in their pension funds. If people here would get that money and invest in companies that only make things in America we could compete. we need to do this before the republican party and the banksters find a way to rob us or cheat us out of our future which they are doing now. I still think we should tariff everything that comes into the country.
I would not Do anything for The MUSLIM Obammy!. What ever he wants will NOT BE good for AMERICA!..
Bigots like you make Obama look good.
wow, image that the republicans want to block something until they get what they want. Is this something new? They've been doing it for the past two years. Has the President got all his cabinet members in place yet or they still being blocked too?
Just remember this. The American people are continuing to watch you republican constipate the American Government DAILY.
Trust me, the great electorial enema is coming and prayerfully we will eliminate a majority of the republican feces plugging our democratic system.
As far as the Free Trade ageement goes. End them all and bring our jobs and businesses back HOME.
I voted for Obama and I think he's done some good things...I'm just waiting for him to grow a pair and start standing up to the thugs on the other side...You got the "juice' Mr president...Start kickin' some right-wing ass....
So Rog, you voted for a weak person? How long do you think it will take for him to grow a pair? 3 years? 4 Years?, 4 years is about he has left, pretty sure there won't be a 5-6-7-8.
At least his golf game is getting better..................
61 rounds of golf in two years! That's a lot of golf for someone who is supposed to be the leader of the free world and in command of a military at war.
GO USA, you are aware, that Dubya spent about 3 of his 8 year reign on vacation, once all added up, and we were in 2 wars then. Did you complain then, or is it only when there is a Dem in offfice that you find it appropriate to complain?
BTW, John Boehner managed to squeaze 119 rounds of golf into 2009, which is almost double what you claim the Pres. has played in two years, only Boehner did it in one year. Impressive? Maybe not.
Block the Commerce Secretary, Whew, I was hoping they would not hold their breath until they turned blue! Thank God!
Is the expectation really that Panama and Columbia will purchase US made goods and therefore boost our economy?
We're going to produce goods in a country with some of the highest labor costs in the world and then ship them (incurring additional costs) to be sold in countries with some of the lowest wages in the world?
Who will be buying these US produced goods, the 1% of the population of these banana republics who have disposable income?
The President should just give up on any attempt to work with the right wing traitors. He should just do recess appointments for each and every unfilled position. Bush did it like it was going out of style. Why not President Obama?
bcohio, what's the bc stand for, broken cranium ?
Why do Republicans hate America and Americans themselves?
Boehner, WHERE ARE THE JOBS?
Not Americans, they hate people, they're misanthropes.
Wow! What a frigging surprise. Obstructionism from the right-wingers.
Never a solution, always more problems. These buffoons will not be happy until everyone is unemployed and broke.
Right-sing societies fail ever time. No exception. Ask yourself how long you want the pain to continue.
The Republican Party doing the bidding of the Corporations again. What a shock! When Congress tried to pass a Bill to stop giving Corpoartions Tax Cuts for sending jobs overseas the Republicans Blocked that. When Congress tried to pass a law to stop giving Tax Cuts to Corporations using Offshore Tax Havens the Republicans Blocked that. When Congress tries to end Tax Breaks for American Expatriates who had renounced their U.S.Citizenship the Republicans Blocked that. When Congress tried to end Subsidies for Oil Companies the Republicans on Congress Voted 236-0 against that. Of course they want more Free Trade because they have made sure it is so lucrative for the Corporations. But you better not be a teacher living at just above the poverty line or they are going to come down on you real hard.
Another ruthless play by the Right Club.
Here's how it plays out:
1. Hold up any commerce positions until these trade agreements are signed into law by Obama.
2. Blame Obama for these same laws in 10 years when they go to @!$%# and a truckload of jobs are lost. (see: Clinton-NAFTA) NOBODY and i do mean NOBODY on the right will have ANY FREAKING memory of the Democratic Congress being blackmailed into signing it.
I say SCREW THEM! live without a commerce secretary!
Right you are! I followed the mess in Wisconsin, and the GOP condemning the democrats for leaving and not doing their jobs. It is the job of the US Senate to confirm or deny nominees for these cabinet jobs. If the GOP doesn't want to do their jobs, they should be shown to the door. I see no difference between what the democrats did, and what these senators are doing. All of the people in the US senate were elected to serve the American people, not just the GOP political agenda.
It is time to show the Repugs.(The Lying Lairs) the door.
Why is the obstructionist party of no telling anybody what to do or not to do? They control the house, not the Senate or Presidency. Why can't they compromise instead of dictate? And why, do they continue to relitigate the issues they lost on and obstruct things as a black mail in order to move their agenda. Wheres their jobs bill? They arent solving problems, they are seeking revenge. In short, they friggen suck.
Time to show the Repugs =( laying lairs) the door.
The party of Nope and the class of Dope! I like that alot! But don't forget this NopeDopeParty is a Right-wing extreme gang of thieves!
Signed, A Responsible Republican Moderate!
Hey dems,it takes two to tango,Slick Willie got NAFTA passed,and dems line up to ship jobs over seas, too!I don't stand behind either party,for nobody on either side is to be trusted.They just want to destroy any chance of us ever having an economy.Corporations pull the strings,Congress dances.
EXACTLY!!! IT WAS BUSH SR's damn child.
But you have no memory of it whatsoever.. it's all about who signed it.. NO MATTER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES surrounded its signing.
And that's exactly why Obama's name should be nowhere on this. live without a commerce secretary until 2017 when Obama's gone.
Both parties loved NAFTA, you can't hide it, you can't ignore it.
You support either party you're a sheeple.