Obama Takes Step in Right Direction on Trade
One of the reasons our economy enjoyed continuous economic growth throughout the 1990s was because President Clinton kept his campaign promise to get free trade agreements ratified. In his first act of political courage and steadfastness in the White House, he dared defy part of the Democratic base by standing firm on the North American American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which he helped push through Congress in 1993.
The following year he “convened Congress to ratify” the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), an agreement which further reduced barriers to international commerce.
Now, it looks like his successor is be following in his footsteps. While most people were paying attention to the theatrics of anti-American demagogues at the Summit of the Americas, the President made some quiet, but quite possibly significant gestures, to one of our closest allies in the hemisphere, President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia. After listening to Uribe:
Obama then seemed to realize that the long-stalled Colombia free trade agreement should have been passed yesterday.
The president announced that his team must find a way to pass the agreement. With world trade down 80%, the pact opens new markets to the U.S. He demanded immediate action, asking Colombia’s trade minister to fly to Washington this week.
Then it got even better: Obama invited Uribe to the White House and promised to visit Colombia himself, allowing the Colombians to lay out for him their vast economic and social progress, and their desire to integrate into global trade.
Good move, Mr. President. You’re building on the success of your two immediate predecessors, Clinton for promoting free trade and Bush for forging a strong relationship with Uribe.
(H/t Instapundit.)
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Dan, I can appreciate your sentiment but time will tell whether The Snob has the testicular fortitude to continue this goodwill action with Colombia. I for one don’t think he does. But I hope I’m wrong.
Reminds me of the Clinton Administration in terms of “what is in it for me” mentality. Anyone with an ego the size of Dear Teleprompter’s would expect something personal in return.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — April 22, 2009 @ 6:00 pm - April 22, 2009
Jacka%$ is told that Columbian free-trade is a no-brainer because they already get low to no tariffs on their imports, but American companies, like Caterpillar, are hammered on imports into Columbia. He buckles and opposes the free-trade deal because the unions are pissed that card check like bs is not allowed in Columbia Barrack earlier crushes the idea of more free trade with columbia to get a few votes in the November election from union thugs. Holy crap, Batman, it might be good for American jobs if we can sell US made stuff to the Columbians tariff free! It took 100 days for the “brightest” man in America to figure out the obvious. Great campaigner and teleprompter reader, but a very shitty leader with no long term vision other than lefty social engineering and limp-wristed (no stereo typical insult implied) America hating instincts. When the economy contiues to slide, Iran gets the bomb, Pakistan falls to the Taliban, North Korea stalls until they have a deliverable nuke missle, and Cuba, Bolivia and Venezuala foment more commie insurgencies in South and Central America will all that too be Bushes fault, or will Mr. Appeasement, Socialist Economy engineer take all the credit?
Comment by Midwest Jay — April 22, 2009 @ 6:32 pm - April 22, 2009
If Obama actually follows through with this it will be a very good thing. And if our Democratic congress simply goes along with it because Obama is suggesting this. It will be very telling. When Bush recommended this all we heard from the libs in congress was how awful Columbia is as a country.
I’ll be glad with the result, but boy am I fed up with our lefty politicians playing politics with all aspects of life. If a Republican suggests it – it is evil. If it comes from a Dem – suddenly all is well and good.
Comment by Leah — April 22, 2009 @ 6:59 pm - April 22, 2009