- Sep 26, 2000
- 28,561
- 4
- 0
http://online.wsj.com/article/...tml?mod=googlenews_wsj
WASHINGTON -- President Bush Tuesday pressed Congress to approve outstanding trade agreements, saying "champions of false populism" in the Western Hemisphere would be emboldened if lawmakers fail to act on deals with Peru, Panama and Colombia.
In remarks at a White House Forum on International Trade and Investment, Mr. Bush said lawmakers should approve a trade pact with Peru quickly, then consider the agreements with Panama and Colombia as soon as possible. He said Congress also needs to approve an agreement with South Korea in the interest of U.S. companies and workers.
The House Ways and Means Committee signed off on the Peru agreement last week, and the pact is expected to be considered by the full House and Senate soon. The fate of the other three agreements is unclear.
Mr. Bush said it would be "unacceptable" to pass the Peru agreement and let the Panama and Colombia deals languish. "People are watching the actions of the U.S. Congress very carefully," he said. "Champions of false populism in the region are watching Congress. They will use any failure to approve these trade agreements as evidence that America will never treat democracies in the region as full partners." The line was a veiled reference to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a fierce critic of U.S. foreign policy.
"The time has come for Congress to act," Mr. Bush said, pointing to the 75 million potential customers in the three Latin American countries. Passing the deals, he said, would eliminate many of the tariffs U.S. goods now face in the region.
Free trade pacts are one of the CAUSES of countries in South America turning to Chavez type leaders. South American countries can't compete with China. Countries like Peru and Mexico are getting creamed by cheap Chinese labor.
WASHINGTON -- President Bush Tuesday pressed Congress to approve outstanding trade agreements, saying "champions of false populism" in the Western Hemisphere would be emboldened if lawmakers fail to act on deals with Peru, Panama and Colombia.
In remarks at a White House Forum on International Trade and Investment, Mr. Bush said lawmakers should approve a trade pact with Peru quickly, then consider the agreements with Panama and Colombia as soon as possible. He said Congress also needs to approve an agreement with South Korea in the interest of U.S. companies and workers.
The House Ways and Means Committee signed off on the Peru agreement last week, and the pact is expected to be considered by the full House and Senate soon. The fate of the other three agreements is unclear.
Mr. Bush said it would be "unacceptable" to pass the Peru agreement and let the Panama and Colombia deals languish. "People are watching the actions of the U.S. Congress very carefully," he said. "Champions of false populism in the region are watching Congress. They will use any failure to approve these trade agreements as evidence that America will never treat democracies in the region as full partners." The line was a veiled reference to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a fierce critic of U.S. foreign policy.
"The time has come for Congress to act," Mr. Bush said, pointing to the 75 million potential customers in the three Latin American countries. Passing the deals, he said, would eliminate many of the tariffs U.S. goods now face in the region.
Free trade pacts are one of the CAUSES of countries in South America turning to Chavez type leaders. South American countries can't compete with China. Countries like Peru and Mexico are getting creamed by cheap Chinese labor.
Facebook
Twitter