NAFTA "a tragic failure"

[Anonymous]

Esteban Torres speaks out: Regrets of a NAFTA supporter
Archive Recent Editions 2005 Editions May 28, 2005
Author: Roberta Wood
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 05/26/05 14:29


The congressman who led the push among Latino legislators for passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement 12 years ago is now calling that legislation "a tragic failure" in an appeal for rejection of the Central American Free Trade Agreement now before Congress.

In a letter to his colleagues, former California Rep. Esteban Torres said that as chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, he worked hard to ensure that NAFTA became law because he "thought it would create increased economic opportunity on both sides of the border." Torres cited assurances of fair wage, labor and environmental standards and better social and economic conditions for Mexican as well as U.S. workers.

"Sadly," 11 years after the trade agreement's passage, Torres stated, "nearly a million U.S. jobs have been lost … [and] in Mexico, 1.5 million farmers have lost their farms due to NAFTA while the minimum wage there has dropped severely."

As the debate on CAFTA takes center stage in Washington, Torres warned members of Congress that the arguments used by the proponents of the Central America Free Trade Agreement "strike hauntingly familiar chords to those used in favor of NAFTA." He added, "The failure of NAFTA demands that all members of Congress concerned about the fate of workers, farmers and immigrants reject CAFTA."
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[agman]

Esteban Torres speaks out: Regrets of a NAFTA supporter
Archive Recent Editions 2005 Editions May 28, 2005
Author: Roberta Wood
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 05/26/05 14:29


The congressman who led the push among Latino legislators for passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement 12 years ago is now calling that legislation "a tragic failure" in an appeal for rejection of the Central American Free Trade Agreement now before Congress.

In a letter to his colleagues, former California Rep. Esteban Torres said that as chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, he worked hard to ensure that NAFTA became law because he "thought it would create increased economic opportunity on both sides of the border." Torres cited assurances of fair wage, labor and environmental standards and better social and economic conditions for Mexican as well as U.S. workers.

"Sadly," 11 years after the trade agreement's passage, Torres stated, "nearly a million U.S. jobs have been lost … [and] in Mexico, 1.5 million farmers have lost their farms due to NAFTA while the minimum wage there has dropped severely."

As the debate on CAFTA takes center stage in Washington, Torres warned members of Congress that the arguments used by the proponents of the Central America Free Trade Agreement "strike hauntingly familiar chords to those used in favor of NAFTA." He added, "The failure of NAFTA demands that all members of Congress concerned about the fate of workers, farmers and immigrants reject CAFTA."
[email protected]

Response....The only tradegy is his failure to understand the facts. Is he suggesting that the farm population in Mexico was growing before NAFTA? That is a hoot. How many of these so called "lost jobs" would be magnified if no immigrant workers were doing jobs not desired by our own people.? How many of our people would not have jobs as a result. Example: The building boom in housing would not exist without immigrant workers. As such how many other jobs for Americans would be lost as a result of reduced economic growth?

OT, I would suggest before you post this type of nonsense that you at least gain a basic understanding of job creation in this country and basic economics. You are so far out of step with reality with this crap that you constantly post it only serves to diminish your credibility. Enjoy the weekend.

 

[Anonymous]

OT, I would suggest before you post this type of nonsense that you at least gain a basic understanding of job creation in this country and basic economics. You are so far out of step with reality with this crap that you constantly post it only serves to diminish your credibility. Enjoy the weekend.

I'm sorry Agman--Forgot we're not supposed to look at other ideas or opinions besides those of the skyscraper beancounters and big money corporate investors--or the idea that whats good for the 3 piece suit people, may not be best for the bib overall crew....I'm so glad to know that you have a better understanding of the NAFTA effects on the Latinos than their representative that lives there does :roll: