Romney and Latin America

[ScreamingEagle]

Overview

Decades of remarkable progress in Latin America toward security, democracy, and increased economic ties with America are currently under threat. Venezuela and Cuba are leading a virulently anti-American “Bolivarian” movement across Latin America that seeks to undermine institutions of democratic governance and economic opportunity. The Bolivarian movement threatens U.S. allies such as Colombia, has interfered with regional cooperation on key issues such as illicit drugs and counterterrorism, has provided safe haven for drug traffickers, has encouraged regional terrorist organizations, and has even invited Iran and foreign terrorist organizations like Hezbollah into the region. The region is also witnessing an epidemic of violent criminal gangs and drug cartels, which have wrought death and mayhem across much of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Obama's Failure

President Obama has done little to reverse these disturbing trends and has to some degree exacerbated them. He has neglected our democratic allies in the region while reaching out to those nations that are working against our interests and values. He has squandered valuable time in which to advance free-market principles throughout the region by waiting for three years to present free trade agreements with our allies Colombia and Panama to Congress for ratification. He has relaxed sanctions on Cuba while demanding no reforms in return that would offer the Cuban people their long-denied freedom. He has allowed the march of authoritarianism to go unchecked. In some cases, he has actually encouraged it, as when he publicly backed former Honduran president Manuel Zelaya—a Hugo Chavez ally—despite Zelaya’s unconstitutional attempt to extend his term as president in defiance of the Honduran Supreme Court and legislature.

Mitt's Plan

Mitt Romney will chart a different course. Under a Romney administration, the United States will pursue an active role in Latin America by supporting democratic allies and market-based economic relationships, containing destabilizing internal forces such as criminal gangs and terrorists, and opposing destabilizing outside influences such as Iran.

In his first 100 days in office, Mitt Romney will launch a vigorous public diplomacy and trade promotion effort in the region—the Campaign for Economic Opportunity in Latin America (CEOLA)—to extol the virtues of democracy and free trade and build on the benefits conferred by the free trade agreements reached with Panama and Colombia, as well as those already in force with Chile, Mexico, Peru, and the members of the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Through old and new media and through numerous public events conducted in conjunction with our regional partners, CEOLA will draw a stark contrast between free enterprise and the ills of the authoritarian socialist model offered by Cuba and Venezuela. The campaign will also seek to involve both the U.S. and Latin American private sectors in efforts to expand trade throughout the region with initiatives that not only help American companies do business in Latin America, but also help Latin American companies invest and create jobs in the American market. The goal of CEOLA will be to set the stage for eventual membership in the Reagan Economic Zone for nations throughout Latin America and the creation of strong and mutually beneficial economic ties between the region and the United States.

cont.
Latin America | Mitt Romney for President

 

[freedombecki]

That's just delightful to hear, Screaming Eagle.

After hearing the unfriendly stuff coming out of the Venezuelan President's office and his gift of a nuclear base to Russia on his territory, I am confident we can still gain friendships in Latin America. We will have to work for it on an individual basis, and hopefully more of us can learn the Spanish language, which is the third most widely-spoken language in the world, which includes our large neighbor to the south, Mexico.

We've been remiss by expecting everyone else to learn English, when we need to make the same demands of ourselves with our neighbors. That in and of itself would lead to a better understanding. imho.

I truly do not understand his aggressive hatred of the USA. I pray for a death to enmity and the rebirth of mutual respect between neighbors for reconciliation's sake.

Reconciliation is a 2-way street, however. We have a lot of people out of work over here, and too few people working at jobs to pay taxes to carry half the nation's weight in non-workers. I'd like to see zero unemployment.

 

[sealadaigh]

i would like to know how these free trade agreements have helped american workers and the workers in other countries? maybe we should start with the once thriving united states textile industry and the springing up of textile maquilodoras on the mexican side of the border coinciding with that decline.

 

[freedombecki]

i would like to know how these free trade agreements have helped american workers and the workers in other countries? maybe we should start with the once thriving united states textile industry and the springing up of textile maquilodoras on the mexican side of the border coinciding with that decline.

reabhloideach, I dealt in textiles for the last 25 years. The last US fabrics I bought bleached on exposure to air, and the last Mexican threads I bought were rotten on arrival. The tried and true companies that used to produce quality didn't keep up with their tradition of fine cloth that held up to use. Washed into the same quilt top as others, our american cottons of the last 20 years fade by comparison to those produced in Japan and china, which have a fine feel telling me they're long-staple cottons. (very high caliber) I wish it had been any other way. In order to meet workers' demands, the factories here had to forfeit quality. That was a very bad mistake. By the time a customer called my attention to her bad experience 3 years later, the mill had already begun purchasing Japanese goods instead of using American mills. I had zero source for quality American goods that would compete. With international prices up on transportation costs, fabrics are now more than twice the price they were when I opened my business doors. When enough women quit sewing on account of fabric prices, public demand for premade goods will skyrocket. Things happen against consumers, and one shop owner couldn't find a domestic source that was competitive. I'm sorry. I don't know what to do about it.

 

[sealadaigh]

i would like to know how these free trade agreements have helped american workers and the workers in other countries? maybe we should start with the once thriving united states textile industry and the springing up of textile maquilodoras on the mexican side of the border coinciding with that decline.

reabhloideach, I dealt in textiles for the last 25 years. The last US fabrics I bought bleached on exposure to air, and the last Mexican threads I bought were rotten on arrival. The tried and true companies that used to produce quality didn't keep up with their tradition of fine cloth that held up to use. Washed into the same quilt top as others, our american cottons of the last 20 years fade by comparison to those produced in Japan and china, which have a fine feel telling me they're long-staple cottons. (very high caliber) I wish it had been any other way. In order to meet workers' demands, the factories here had to forfeit quality. That was a very bad mistake. By the time a customer called my attention to her bad experience 3 years later, the mill had already begun purchasing Japanese goods instead of using American mills. I had zero source for quality American goods that would compete. With international prices up on transportation costs, fabrics are now more than twice the price they were when I opened my business doors. When enough women quit sewing on account of fabric prices, public demand for premade goods will skyrocket. Things happen against consumers, and one shop owner couldn't find a domestic source that was competitive. I'm sorry. I don't know what to do about it.

hi. you can caall me seal. a lot of people do. i hate to make assumptions, but you sound like a small business owner on the retail end of things.

i worked for and was otherwise involved with a large intertnational shipping company that was a union house for the latter part of my life and i think you may have an incorrect perception of organised labour.

i think there are things that people can do about it, but the problem is enormous and needs people who can view things somewhat obectively and look at the whole picture.