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U.S. Passes Biggest Trade Agreement Since '94

October 14, 2011 by  

U.S. Passes Biggest Trade Agreement Since '94

This week, Congress passed free-trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama in the largest sweeping trade move since the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994.

The agreement with South Korea removes duties on about two-thirds of American farm exports, and it phases out tariffs on more than 95 percent of industrial and consumer exports over the next five years, according to Bloomberg.

The agreement broadens long-dead trade relationships just after Congress voted on measures to punish the Chinese for currency devaluation. Some people say the new measures will also open more trans-Pacific trade possibilities.

The U.S. International Trade Commission says the South Korea deal could boost American exports by as much as $10.9 billion during the first full year it is in effect. The deal with Colombia could lead to about $1.1 billion in export revenues.

Some opponents to the free-trade agreements have noted soaring trade deficits in the U.S. as a result of past trade agreements, and they contend that the new trade deal will have similar effects. Fearing that unions and wage workers in the U.S. will lose out to cheap foreign labor, many Democrats took to the House floor to speak in opposition to the deals, according to The New York Times.

“What I am seeing firsthand is devastation that these free trade agreements can do to our communities,” Representative Mike Michaud, (D-Maine), told the newspaper.

Filed Under: Liberty News, Staff Reports
Sam Rolley

Staff writer Sam Rolley began a career in journalism working for a small town newspaper while seeking a B.A. in English. After learning about many of the biases present in most modern newsrooms, Rolley became determined to find a position in journalism that would allow him to combat the unsavory image that the news industry has gained. He is dedicated to seeking the truth and exposing the lies disseminated by the mainstream media at the behest of their corporate masters, special interest groups and information gatekeepers.

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  • JCK

    I tell you what, let’s show’em, let’s just quick our jobs (if we have one) stop paying taxes, get on welfare,food stamps free healthcare, and subsidized houseing and live happly ever after. Then what will those idiots in Washington due!!!!!!!! I mean they just want us to moooooooooooooooooo like a cow anyway!!!!! Lord help us!!

  • Prosperity

    Well, well, we’re taking China to task for “manipulating their currency”. We take exception to this, of course, as it is making China prosperous and rich, and lifting their people out of poverty. This “manipulation” consists essentially of keeping their currency stable in value. Makes you wonder why we don’t “manipulate our currency” so we can become rich and prosperous.
    Of course that would mean that we’d need to give up printing all that extra money and live within our means. Unthinkable!

  • Cherie Davis

    Rosemarie:
    You should write a book because you sure do have the right numbers!!!!

  • Rosemarie Pandiscio

    Hey, Obama, what would you like to be when you grow up? mmm mmmm Think you’ll ever amount to anything? mmmm Seems to me I recall your wife made ‘lots and lots’ of moolah and did absolutely nothing for it working for the State of Illinois. While you sat only two years in the Illinois Senate (what did or could you do in that length of time) knowing you had big money and power pushing you into the White House. Oh, I know….that Fast Train…..That Damnable fast train from Chicago to St. Louis, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Wi. Wasn’t that the very first “bill” you signed just two weeks after your inauguration…that damnable fast train. Yep! “A deal’s a deal, right partner? I’m from Illinois, partner, and kept track of every single railring crossing ‘accident’ for 25 years. No gates, no lights, nothing! No responsibility either. Not the railroads, not the counties, not the townships, nor the cities, nobody. Although,…..after each ‘fatality” it was stated that, Mr. or blah blah blah Jim, Bob, etc., were tested for drugs. Farmers! People who lived there all their lives. Drugs! Yep! I’m from Illinois. Four governors went to prison that I know of in my lifetime. Oh, and by the way, How is it you were exempted in “Blogdonovitch’s” trial? (I know I spelled that wrong) Even Mayor Daly quit his job! Know what? Daly’s don’t quit! But, all of sudden, ‘he be gone’. That’s the machine in action. I’ll bet that was the biggest wad of moolah you ever or will ever see. How about your “buddie”, from D. C., who said he lived in Chicago, and is NOW Mayor of Chicago? Boy, some coincidences? But, A DEAL’S A DEAL, RIGHT SLICK? Mayor, Senator, ‘Lady Obama” 350K a year) Governor and now…..Ta Da President. Not to mention the guys with the cigars in the locker rooms holding the aces.

  • Rosemarie Pandiscio

    Obama will NOT get a second four years. I know a great little corner on Woodlawn and Prairie Streets for a classy lemon-ade stand. I’ll provide the little sitting stool for him to sit on behind his little counter, peeking over like the red-haired, freckled smiling face with funny huge ears and saying, “Who, me”?

  • Rosemarie Pandiscio

    Have any of you seen Obama walking with a book called, The Rise and Fall of America? Written by a Muslim. Don’t quote me on the exact wording, but it definately says Fall of America. Been on many blogs lately.

  • Rosemarie Pandiscio

    I have posted my name and email next to your required “fields”. Don’t like my letter this time?

    • http://www.boblivingstonletter.com/ Bob Livingston

      Dear Rosemarie Pandiscio,

      I have no idea what you mean.

      Best wishes,
      Bob

  • Rosemarie Pandiscio

    This is a country of Big Business! Big Business puts our people to work with lunch pail and pension. The people responsible for our Big Business moving abroad should be tried, convicted and hanged in the streets for high treason. Obama and his entrepreneur crap.. Is he completely nuts? If this new entrepreneur finally nets 300K-350K after working day and night, leaving his family on weekends, etc., Barney Frank will call this person, ‘RICH’ and tax this poor s.o.b. to death. We taxed big business right of of Dodge. Matching SS, Insurances, Emission Control, etc.. We really need to stop buying anything not made in the USA. Damned hard to do, but there’s strength in numbers. As I see it, it’s the only way. I remember when neighbors cried, fought, helped and worked together. If we can’t find it, Damn it, look harder. Next time you try on a pair of America’s beloved Levi’s, think of where they were made and where the hands were before they were shipped. I’m a 76 year young great grandma, and can’t believe what this government gets away with. They put Capone away for moonshine and tax evasion. Nothing compared to the criminal acts done right down to our Constitution on a daily basis. Crooked politicians, crooked lobbyists. No more immigrants, no more so-called United Nations.

  • Rosemarie Pandiscio

    I don’t when we started kissing China’s ass, but I do remember kissing Japan’s. Illinois Governor “Big” Jim Thompson went over and begged these far eastern, far out (we won the war or didn’t we?)to bring their factories here. Put our people to work..?? But, vely soly these factories can close anytime and more unemployed here. People in our government can’t be that stupid, so this ass-kissing is part of the big conspiracy as told by Kissinger, “It’s time for a New World Order”. I do NOT want food on my table from China shipped here on rat infested and killer bugs boats. I want to bring our military to the steps of the White House shouting, “It’s time for a wake up call, deport legal/illegal immigrants, no more money or goodies leaving our ports. Nixon declared war on cancer. How far did that go? Johnson declared war on poverty. Well, the Dems are still giving the working man’s money to the poverty stricken and we’ve come a long long along way. I’m mad as hell. We’ve got our guns pointed in the wrong direction.

  • Jack

    Well! Well! bad! bad! Obama is at it again giving jobs away too other countries. Why don,t the Union worker go picket Obama in the white house instead of wall street!

  • TeresaE

    We give a South Korean company $1.5 billion to make batteries for the GM Volt.

    With this agreement they can pack up their US factory and move it with ZERO consequences to SK.

    Free trade with countries of equal environmental & worker standards and costs makes perfect sense – both economically and morally.

    Free trade with third world or communist countries equates to loss of jobs here.

    We will export more food to be processed and returned to us thus avoiding ALL our food & safety laws and a big bonus of not having to pay for health insurance, OSHA, EPA or a million other things here.

    Until Americans quit making their voting decisions based from 30 second, corporate paid for, sound bites, this will not change until the only remaining jobs in America are for the government thugs.

    We outlaw lemonade stands and gift our production to the third world.

    Wall Street wins again, thanks Washington!

  • Monte

    Pat Buchanan, who I greatly admire, has a new column out today where he discusses this so-called free trade and its disastrous effects. It is a part of the leftist utopian goal of ‘one world order’, imposed by the powers that be on an unsuspecting populace. Unfortunately, the real world will not cooperate with the dream. The entire venture is collapsing and the peoples of the world are returning to nationalism (fantastic news!). Here is a link to the column:

    http://lewrockwell.com/buchanan/buchanan189.html

    • jimmy the greek

      Pat Buchanan is a good man ! Nationalism is what is needed .

  • jimmy the greek

    Its all about the investor class jimbo , the worker class gets screwed . commisum and capitalism are two sides of the same coin .Germany had it right in 1933 .

  • Jimbo

    They’re assuming all these exports will occur. HOW? American manufacturing has been decimated. My own employer has laid off over 60% of workers over the past few years. What equipment we have is ancient. Machine tools 60 years old. Computers 10 years old. Software as much as 26 years old. We own no automation, and can’t afford any. We do everything by hand. We are competing with companies subsidized by their governments with the latest automation and equipment. Against workers who make a couple dollars a day. Other than reduce American workers to the wage standards of these foreign nations, more “free trade” isn’t going to do anything but destroy american manufacturing jobs.

    I’ve been working in non-union manufacturing for 30 years. Since “free trade” started in the mid 80′s, with Mexico, I’ve seen nothing but a gradual decline in wages and benefits, and have been laid off numerous times due to foreign competition. The industrialists who push our government for these agreements only want to maximize their profits at the expense of american workers.

    • loretta

      you got that right. we are out of jobs, no money and cannot afford to eat. I’m getting tired of peanut butter and jellie and even that is going up. And on top of that we are getting no raises in social security and not being able to get hired if your over 50.

  • jimmy the greek

    Tony hope your daughter gets knocked up by one so you have little half breed mud babies for grand kids .

    • http://liberty Tony

      To Jimmy the “GEEK”:
      Sir, respectfully, why don’t you re-enact a scene from “Deliverance”
      and squeal like a pig!?! By the way who would want to breed with a fool such as yourself? Or did your parents drop you on your head when
      you were a toddler and didn’t show you attention? I’m just curious to why you say such foolhardy things. So long for now Hoss!!

      • jimmy the greek

        Tony my blood line is pure , No mud races in the family , the way you talk i bet if we give your family tree a good shaking no telling what well fall out ? Mexican ? African ? or god forbid a jew ?

      • http://liberty Tony

        To Jimmy the “GEEK”:
        Hey Bro, i’m half Black and German plus darned proud. America, my boy, isn’t a white nation but a nation within nations. Get hip to those facts. By the way, you say you’re pure. Pure what? Are you even
        of the human race? Just curious. Bye-Bye for now!!

      • jimmy the greek

        There we go Mixing of the recesses hurts both races there are blacks that think as i do, i have sat and talked with some that would like a part of the country as a black nation free of us white devils , and i am for that . because the jews that lived in Holland, are who ran the slave trade . { look it up yourself : ” jews in the slave trade , google it}

      • s c

        J, how much are you being paid to waste space on this website? You need some serious blood work, to determine which drugs have rotted your mind. Mac, if you think for one minute that you are part of a pure blood line, you are a first-class candidate for a mental competency hearing.
        The only thing you could add to your comments is a desire to join Obummer’s Big Tent, so he can try and complete his agenda for attracting every nut case and space cadet he can get (just in case his dead voters don’t line up to vote for him like they did in the last election). I’ve known ex-druggies, alcoholics and paranoid schizophrenics who make more sense than you.

    • libertytrain

      Another kind and gentle leftist lib speaks.

      • jimmy the greek

        If you are talking about me you got that backwards , i am as far to the right as you can get i would gas all you liberals, communist, free market capitalist , zionest , if i got the chance .

      • libertytrain

        oddly you only come across as a lib.

      • jimmy the greek

        National Socialist or Nazi as you like to call us , Fascist ,Not liberal at all that is what you capitalist and communist like to call us . we fought the communist and capitalist in WW-2 that were on the same side with the zionist .

      • Song

        I think he (Jimmy the bigot) comes across as a neanderthal.

      • libertytrain

        yes, Song. A real winner.

  • http://liberty Tony

    To Everyone:
    These treaties are actually have way decent. Starting next year by early spring, 210,000 jobs will be created in our nation. Our econ. needs all the help it can get. Thanks!!
    P.S. To Zorba, i mean Jimmy the Greek, the “wetback” immigrants are the back bone of our econ. They keep the wheels of industry going. Without them, our nation would come to a grinding halt within 5-10 years. Think about that, if you can!!

    • jimmy the greek

      Well let the little greasers go back to the third world and turn the wheels in there mother land because we don’t want them here.

    • loretta

      if your that bias MOVE to europe

  • sam

    BMW makes overpriced cars for people who have nothing better to do with their money.

    • jimmy the greek

      Did you ever drive one ? I can change lanes at 135mph like American cars at 70mph i had a thunderbird back in 1987 that was like a wet sponge at 100mph and had a road speed governor set at 105mph , I drive for a living so when i get in a car i want a good one .

      • loretta

        where do you live that you cango to speeds that high????

      • jimmy the greek

        Texas

    • jimmy the greek

      The reason they are so overpriced is because of the import tax put on them by the zionist the run America and still have a hardon because the Germans killed about 50,000 or so of them in WW-2

  • jimmy the greek

    I try to buy American however we don’t build very good cars in the USA ( all most all are front wheel drive junk ) so i went with the BMW . the only place we should be trading with is Europe or countries that pay there workers as well as we are paid or better and all imports should be taxed at the same rate that country would tax the same type of item coming from our country to theirs

  • CP

    Mayhaps all should take another look at these trade deals. They are NOT one-way streets for products coming into the country, they will also increase EXPORTS, if anyone knows what that word means. To me, it means more money coming to the farmers, who are already taking a rather nasty hit because of Russian and Chinese grain surpluses.

    • jimmy the greek

      Oh you must be talking about the rich farmers that bring in all the wetbacks and turn them out after the picking is done to take American jobs in factories and building industry .

      • jim

        The RICH farmers??!! yea right jimmy, they are barely scraping by! NOW obummer’s EPA wants to make HAY a hazardous substance, typical mind numbed Morons in the EPA!

      • 2centsworth

        The EPA is an agency who is out to take over America by their rules which are a bunch of garbage, and to turn America into communism. These people need to be stopped. There are more Americans than there are EPA or any other ridiculous law makers. Americans need to stand up and say NO. There should be nothing wrong with the hay unless Monsanto has gotten to it, because everything they do is bad for the health of the animals and the people who are forced to eat their GMO-roundup garbage. Monsanto needs to be stopped. If people would find out what it is doing to the environment, they would stop using it. The EPA needs to stop Monsanto. If they do this, maybe we’ll let them stay, other wise let’s get rid of them. Americans, let’s stand together and make our country a better place to be.

    • LES

      The problem in the end with these deals is eventually the IMPORTS will exceed the EXPORTS and will lead to an even more unfavorable balance of payments than we have now.

    • Gman

      I agree with CP, the article does mention exports which is Americans producing and other nations (S Korea, Panama, Colombia) buying our goods. Made in USA labels there!

    • FreeMan

      If anyone of you would look back to when this began in 1960, when we were the richest, most productive people on the planet, you will see that the cost in deficit trade accumulated is approximately $12 Trillion and growing at approximately $1 Trillion a year. You can not allow goods to come in that have no tariffs, and yet do not have to meet any of the standards required of goods produced here. It is for this reason that we have exported in excess of 20,000,000 manufacturing jobs. The Federal Reserve, the Unions, Wall Street and the Federal Beauracracy have all conspired together to cause this. By the way, if you count all of the unemployed and under employed the national unemployment figures exceed 21%. And, when comparing to the Great Depressssion era, remember there was no welfare. If we add those on welfare to the unemployed we have a greater unemployment now than we had in the 1930′s. Forget the “Global Economy” jargon. If you check history there has never not been a Global Economy in known history. Until we go back to protecting our domestic commerce first, we will only continue to fall.

      • 2centsworth

        You are right…The Federal Bureaucracy has conspired with all the others you mentioned to take America down while they stuffed their own pockets. From what I understand, now they are going to be taken down. Why? Americans are tired of this being used and manipulated by them. There is a highly intelligent economist, scientist, engineer, entrepreneur who knows how to put America back on it’s feet and get Americans back to work and make everyone prosperous again. He is running a campaign on How We Can Fast Boom American Economy With Albert Einstein Endorsed Free Enterprise Which Wash.,D.C. Never Wanted To Do. If you want to read how it can be done, send your request to and you will receive an email.

  • Herbert

    Are Prisadent is for eveyone but us

  • http://LibertyAlert Cee Carmany

    But here is the rest of the story,it was truly a trade off between Obama……The Republican-led House also approved a Senate-passed measure aimed at helping US workers displaced by overseas competition, which the White House and its Democratic allies had made a precondition for advancing the trade deals. (note precondition for advancing trade deals)

    “The landmark trade agreements and assistance for American workers that passed tonight are a major win for American workers and businesses,” the embattled president said in a statement

  • bill

    Yes,and I suppose there will be more American business bailing out of the US with
    more subsequent loss of jobs.Of course with the “Parasites” eating,excreting waste
    and not doing anything in supporting their host,Can you blame business ? You decide !

    • jim

      Yea while the Lib Dem Parasites are TAXING and REGULATING them to the MAX!!! No wonder they Leave the US and take MILLIONS of JOBS with them thanks to the Lib Dem Morons!!

      • jim

        Ohh, but that’s right the dems are for the WORKING man,, LOL!! Yea right,, they are FOR the UNION THUGS who launder the dems money and forget about the WORKING man, they could care less about them!! They know these Obamabot lib dem FOOLS will vote for them anyway, so why worry!

  • American Man 2012

    I see the trouble, that American Corporations are not happy just trading American Made products. They decide to get in bed with those we are now open to trade with, and want to produce and share our technology with the Country we want to sell to.
    Eventually the trading country doesn’t need us anymore, and will make it them selves. Thanks stupid American’s.

  • Cherie Davis

    The Usurper-in-Chief is trying to sell us more of his snake oil with the Jobs Bill, all the while chastizing Republicans because they won’t pass it. Whew!! I wonder how many more jobs are going to be lost here at home because of this hairbrained scheme??? These trade agreements will not benefit American workers as NAFTA has demonstrated.

    • eddie47d

      The morning paper today said that only 24% of Tea Party members support these Free trade agreements.That figure has remained consistent for a year now.Unfortunately the Tea Party leadership in Congress support these bills by a wide margin. Maybe the leadership is out of touch with it’s members? Unions have always been against these trade bills because they take jobs away from American workers. So there is a common link where these groups can work together to make these trade agreements more accountable. John Boehner and Obama both support this trio of bills (Columbia,Panama and S.Korea). So does Americas banks and business community. John Boehner is actively fighting against the passage of a China bill which calls for China to stop manipulating their currency. He says “there will be a very serious risk of a trade war”.I think we’ve been in a trade war for quite some time and always end up on the losing side. It’s getting more difficult to know who’s on the side of the American worker and even harder to distinguish between Republican and Democrat.

      • ernest robertson

        if anyone thinks free-trade works for us is not thinking at all, think about the diferance in wages, benifits, goverment regulations and all the other things that add to the cost of MADE IN AMERICA how can you compete? if you hire illegals that don’t get benifits and work for less ( you see where the illegal problem comes from )you can also see everything tying together.
        all our problems are coming right out of washington both partys.

      • jimmy the greek

        The Zionist jews own both parties and call the shots out of iserial .

      • Millicent

        I hate antiSemitism.

      • Margaret

        You were born at the wrong time. Jew-haters belong in the Hitler era. “Sieg Heil!” was the only thing missing in your comment.

      • s c

        Hey, Bubba! I lived long enough to know that there IS someone who has something in common with Jesse Jackson. You need to get together with Jesse, and compare notes on all the flaws of a “certain” ethic group. Are you a recent suck-up convert of Jesse’s, or have you known him for a long time?
        Move to Chicago, geek. I’m sure Jesse will take you in, and you can be great friends. Maybe he’ll adopt you.

    • loretta

      the usurper-in-chief sure is getting richer and richer. in my opinion he has to be getting paid under the table to come to these agreements. since when can we TRUST china, japan and any other foreign country to be honest with us.

    • loretta

      why would anyone trust anything that china, japan or any other foreign says??

      • jim

        I trust them a LOT more than our Idiot in chief the LYING DECEIVER!! I don;t trust either one!

  • s c

    Is Michaud as incredibly stupid as he sounds? Does he know the difference between free trade/free markets and a slow death foisted on us by elected turncoats? And, how bad did America get HOSED this time?

    • Joe

      Did you even read the article? It says S. Korea is dropping tariffs on US farm products and industrial/consumer goods over the next 5 years. That is going to help our exports to S. Korea.

      • s c

        J, you’re just what we need. You are nothing less than another Obummer suck-up. Sonny boy, name for me one recent trade agreement that DID NOT utterly SCREW America. Now that you’ve been outed as a utopian, move to Chicago. Move to North Korea. Move to Iran.
        When you go, PLEASE take Obummer and his #^&$*@-*^ administration with you.

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