Obama sends (new) free trade bills to Congress...Boehner and Cantor are pleased.

[Cali_Democrat]

Looks like Boehner and Cantor will work to get this passed in the house ASAP. When will Obama learn? If the Republicans are for something, it probably sucks!

More profits for multinational corporations at the expense of the middle class and the poor in the United States. It's no surprise that Republicans want these deals passed right now.

Obama sends free trade bills to Congress
By Jill Jackson

President Obama submitted three free trade bills with South Korea, Colombia and Panama to Congress today after a years-long holdup of the deals since the most recent Bush administration. Speaker John Boehner announced immediately that the House will act on them quickly along with Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for displaced workers.

"Now that all three agreements have been transmitted, they will be a top priority for the House," Boehner said in a statement. "We will quickly begin the required process to consider these bills and intend to vote on them consecutively and in tandem with Senate-passed TAA legislation."

Earlier today, Majority Leader Eric Cantor told reporters "we intend to address this and hopefully put a win on the board for the people of this country."

...

"I am glad President Obama has finally sent Congress the long-awaited free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea which will help create thousands of new jobs and spur economic growth," Cantor said in a Monday statement. "Moving forward on these agreements will provide manufacturers with the help they need to increase exports and increase production. The more manufacturers produce, the more workers they need and that means job creation."

Read More: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20114986-503544.html

:banghead:

[msongs]

1. you mean Boner was not willing to settle for just 98%? gee who couldnt see that coming lol nt

[ProSense]

2. Maybe

"Obama sends (new) free trade bills to Congress...Boehner and Cantor are pleased."

...that means they'll pass!


With Deal Reached to Extend TAA Before Passing New Trade Pacts, Brown Calls for Swift Action on Bipartisan Currency Manipulation Bill

Krugman: Holding China to Account

Reuters: White House says reviewing China bill, shares goal

EPI: Growing U.S. trade deficit with China cost 2.8 million jobs between 2001 and 2010

[Enrique]

17. wait are you trying to confuse two very different bills?

the OP is about the three free trade bills.

Your links are about the China bill, which is pretty an anti-free-trade bill, in that it calls for tariffs.

Obama, along with the GOP, is in favor of the free trade bills.

Obama has not taken a stand on the China bill, which passed with a large bipartisan majority in the Senate, and is supported by Reid and Pelosi, and opposed by Boehner and Cantor and the Chamber of Commerce.

Just to clarify things...

[Skittles]

3. fucking DISGUSTING

[CakeGrrl]

4. Unrec. The President has already talked about doing this.

This is not some shattering betrayal. He explained that he wants to increase EXPORTS from the US - producing more of our products to be sold in other countries rather than a disproportionate amount of the products coming INTO the US for sale.

The only bullshit about this story is Boehner acting like the President was sitting on the bills when the President has, in reality, been pushing Congress to get them passed.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. Thank you!!!!! n/t

[Cali_Democrat]

7. Do you support the ratification of these free trade agreements?

[Supersedeas]

18. substantive policy deferred again.

[Skittles]

12. who gives a fuck that he TALKED about it?

do actually BELIEVE the garbage he is pushing? PULL YOUR HEAD OUT.

[Robb]

5. Hm. Per the ITC:

On South Korea:

• U.S. GDP would likely increase by $10.1–11.9 billion as a result of tariff and tariff-rate quota (TRQ) provisions related to goods market access.

• Merchandise exports to Korea would likely increase by an estimated $9.7–10.9 billion as a result of tariff and TRQ provisions.

• Merchandise imports from Korea would likely increase by an estimated $6.4–6.9 billion as a result of tariff and TRQ provisions.

• U.S. services exports would likely increase as a result of the FTA, given the increase in levels of market access, national treatment, and regulatory transparency that would be afforded by the FTA in excess of the current General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) regime.

• Aggregate U.S. output and employment changes would likely be negligible, primarily because of the size of the U.S. economy relative to that of the Korean economy.

[customerserviceguy]

8. Somebody help me out here

Yes, I know South Korea is a manufacturing powerhouse, but in what American industries would free trade pacts with Columbia and Panama be harmful? Aren't those nations primarily agricultural in nature, and in things we pretty much cannot grow here?

[bhikkhu]

9. Pretty much true.

You could also say that South Korea has a modern economy and a good standard of living, similar to ours - its not a matter of "now we have to compete with child-slave labor".

These free trade agreements probably will be beneficial, and that's probably why the president is advocating for them.

[Mass]

10. Well, these pacts will allow the US to SELL in these countries, because

right now South Korea can sell pretty much what they want in the US, but have very protective laws when it comes to import.

For once a trade treaty is in our advantage, you're against it.

Or do you have specific objections to these treaties based on FACTS.

[TheKentuckian]

13. Never has one yet not been touted to be to our advantage and we fare poorly of late

Nobody should now be surprised that folks burned a few times might think carrots are sticks.
Maybe cleaning up existing messes would take some of the poison out of the system.

There is no sense being testy because it takes little imagination to get the picture of why the burden of proof would be on the proponent in these conversations.
The very concept has earned cynicism because we pay the price for these agreements. So, if you have an exception, there will need to be an educational effort to overcome rational prejudices.

[blkmusclmachine]

11. Obama, triangulating himself right out of the WH for 2012.

n/t

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[geek tragedy]

15. Obama's last 'accomplishment' in office.

I have to admit, the Republicans are just way smarter than we are when it comes to politics. We need to run their playbook in 2013.

[Vinca]

16. What? The unemployement rate isn't high enough for him?

I really don't get this. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out we need to be renegotiating trade agreements not signing new ones . . . especially ones that have a provision that acknowledges the agreements will displace workers. Who on earth is advising this man on trade?