Boehner on Columbia Free Trade Agreement

This just in...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) released the following statement after President Bush announced that he will send Congress the Colombia Free Trade Agreement tomorrow:

“Passing the Colombia Free Trade Agreement will level the playing field for American workers, farmers, and businesses who are currently being denied fair access to an important and growing South American market. Our global competitors are already working to expand their exports to Colombia through trade agreements. As a result of the Andean Trade Promotion Agreement, which passed the House in February with no opposition, Colombian goods face virtually no trade barriers entering the United States, but American exports to Colombia still face steep tariffs. We need to give our farmers and business owners equal access to the Colombian market. Passing the Colombia Free Trade Agreement means more jobs for people here in the United States. It is a simple matter of fairness for American workers. I urge the Democratic Leadership to schedule a vote on the measure as soon as possible.”

Labor Rules

One of the topics that I really haven't explored as much as I have wanted to is how the unions in this country influence the Democrats. On the surface, it appears to be about "protecting" the American worker, but often it is really about helping out lefty dictators like Hugo Chavez.

Bob Novack picks up this theme...

Ignoring pleas from outraged South American governments, Democratic leadership of the House this week was adamant about Congress going into its August recess without taking action on free trade agreements with Peru and Panama as promised. Instead, two senior Democratic House members appear determined to travel to those two rare Latin American friends of the United States , to hector them into passing domestic legislation as a prerequisite for approving already negotiated bilateral trade pacts.

Why did House Speaker Nancy Pelosi renege on her previous commitment? She dances to the tune of AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, who preaches outright protectionism. Hostility toward not only the Peru and Panama pacts but also a vital agreement with Colombia can be traced to influence on U.S. unions by South America's leftist labor leaders, originating in Hugo Chavez's Venezuela.
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Sweeney makes life difficult for Rangel, who seeks a record of achievement in the chairmanship for which he waited so many years. But when labor commands, Sandy Levin obeys. When I met him in the 1970s, Levin was a high-minded liberal as a party and legislative leader and candidate for governor of Michigan. In Congress, he is an errand boy for organized labor who on June 18 withdrew previous support for trade agreements.

Those who argue that free trade with other nations costs American jobs fail to understand that free trade also imports jobs for American workers. It is a delicate balance that requires significant focus. Throw in the lefty shenanigans from Chavez and his ilk and free trade becomes much less about fair trade and more about protecting dictators and thugs.

Today's Celebrity Idiot: Cameron Diaz

From Breitbart via Drudge:

Actress Cameron Diaz appears to have committed a major fashion crime in Peru.

The voice of Princess Fiona in the animated Shrek films may have inadvertently offended Peruvians.

They suffered decades of violence from a Maoist guerrilla insurgency by touring there on Friday with a bag emblazoned with one of Mao Zedong's favourite political slogans.

While she explored the Inca city of Machu Picchu high in Peru's Andes, Diaz wore over her shoulder an olive green messenger bag emblazoned with a red star and the words 'Serve the People' printed in Chinese on the flap, perhaps Chinese Communist leader Mao's most famous political slogan.

While the bags are marketed as trendy fashion accessories in some world capitals, the phrase has particular resonance in Peru.

The Maoist Shining Path insurgency took Peru to the edge of chaos in the 1980s and early 1990s with a campaign of massacres, assassinations and bombings.

Nearly 70,000 people were killed during the insurgency.

A prominent Peruvian human rights activist said the star of There's Something About Mary should have been a little more aware of local sensitivities when picking her accessories.

"It alludes to a concept that did so much damage to Peru, that brought about so many victims," said Pablo Rojas about the bag's slogan.

"I don't think she should have used that bag where the followers of that ideology" did so much damage.

WHAT? Socialism isn't the answer to the world's problems? Socialism gets taken over by dictators who oppress the people they claim they are helping? Like, for sure...

Idiot.

Bananas for Terror Update

In May of 2004, we did a post on this Chiquita pay-off to the Columbian terrorists. At the time this is what I had to say:

The article seems to suggest that Chiquita paid off terrorists groups in Columbia to prevent attacks on employees and facilities in that country.
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All that aside, supporting ANY terrorist organization is bad news and somebody apparently knew that what they were doing was not right and should face justice on that issue.

It has now been confirmed that Chiquita has been charged with paying off terrorists in Columbia and has been fined $25 million for doing so.

In court documents filed Wednesday, federal prosecutors said the Cincinnati-based company and several unnamed high-ranking corporate officers paid about $1.7 million between 1997 and 2004 to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, known as AUC for its Spanish initials.

The AUC has been responsible for some of the worst massacres in Colombia's civil conflict and for a sizable percentage of the country's cocaine exports. The U.S. government designated the right-wing militia a terrorist organization in September 2001.

The worst part is that company lawyers issued a memo indicating that the payments were not proper and should not be made.

Final Analysis: So, instead of a quality starting pitcher for the Reds, Uncle Carl paid off some terrorists in Columbia...