U.S. And China Reach New Trade Agreements

[Tx4obama]

Source: AP (via HuffPo)

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Wednesday that two days of talks with a high-level delegation from China produced results that should benefit U.S. companies ranging from manufacturers of computer software and wind turbines to beef producers.

The agreements touched on areas that have been the source of sharp discord between the two nations, and which a series of U.S. administrations have failed to resolve. Those areas include rampant piracy of U.S. intellectual property and China's continued barriers to American beef.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke told reporters he hopes this week's deals will set the stage for even more extensive agreements when Chinese President Hu Jintao visits Washington in January.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/15/us-china-new-trade-agreements_n_797464.html

[WCGreen]

1. How about we just not let them import stuff until they sign an accord...

Oh yes, then they would stop buying our bonds....

I think they own about 8% of our debt...

[Lasher]

2. Oboy, another swell trade agreement!

Now the US middle class is sure to rebound!

:sarcasm:

[Tx4obama]

3. I read the 'whole' article and it does sound pretty good for the USA. n/t

[Lasher]

4. So did NAFTA back when Clinton was pimping it.

I don't trust our leaders to engage in any trade agreement that is good for the US middle class - regardless of how great they say it is going to be.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

6. Check your historical facts first...

... Poppy Bush had "fast-tracked" the NAFTA treaty, meaning it became law 6 months after the fact, regardless of who was President. The only points left for Clinton and Gore to negotiate were environmental issues, ie... requiring that US companies moving operations to Mexico had to adhere to a "minimum" of pollution/environmental/health standards. It is so easy to say that "Clinton and Gore let it happen" when in fact it was already approved, save for environmental issue negotiations.

Explain away your point of view, as I did mine. Your response should be interesting, my links and footnotes are armed and ready. (BTW, it is late, I am tired and there is a 9/10 chance that you won't back yourself up).

This quote should make my point: "Following diplomatic negotiations dating back to 1986 among the three nations, the leaders met in San Antonio, Texas, on December 17, 1992, to sign NAFTA. U.S. President George H. W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas, each responsible for spearheading and promoting the agreement, ceremonially signed it."

If you have further doubts, try a Google on " David Rockefeller NAFTA " (minus the exclamation marks) and take your pick of links. OK, I meant you should take your pick of links offered and try to tell me that NAFTA economic issues were the fault of Clinton/Gore.

PS: or re: edit for proper use of exclamation/quote marks.

[Lasher]

7. Aha! Your puny links and footnotes have no power over my superior logic.

Au contraire, NAFTA was not fast tracked by Poppy Bush or anyone else. You should have read more of the Wikipedia article that you cited:

In the U.S., Bush, who had worked to "fast track" the signing prior to the end of his term, ran out of time and had to pass the required ratification and signing into law to incoming president Bill Clinton. Prior to sending it to the United States Senate, Clinton introduced clauses to protect American workers and allay the concerns of many House members. It also required U.S. partners to adhere to environmental practices and regulations similar to its own. The ability to enforce these clauses, especially with Mexico, and with much consideration and emotional discussion the House of Representatives approved NAFTA on November 17, 1993, by a vote of 234 to 200. The agreement's supporters included 132 Republicans and 102 Democrats. NAFTA passed the Senate 61-38. Senate supporters were 34 Republicans and 27 Democrats. Clinton signed it into law on December 8, 1993; it went into effect on January 1, 1994.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement

Poppy Bush pimped NAFTA. So did Clinton, who lobbied Congress to ratify it, then signed it into law.

You will now grovel before me in humiliating defeat.

[FreakinDJ]

5. Let me guess - "The Middle Class gets Fucked Again"

[pampango]

8. From Dept. of Commerce: 21st U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce And Trade Fact Sheet

http://www.commerce.gov/node/12467.

Sounds like it focuses on intellectual property rights, copyright protections, smart grid and wind power equipment in China, and combating counterfeit and substandard drugs, and beef imports to China. Sounds good, but the key will be enforcement. If that is ignored like it was under Bush, any agreement is worthless.

Negotiation, agreement, enforcement, (repeat as necessary)... is the way to resolve international problems, not unilateral ("cowboy") diplomacy. Without enforcement, any international agreement (just like any domestic law) accomplishes nothing.