Sunday, October 2, 2011

Free Trade will not help workers in Colombia - Washington Times http://ping.fm/pAj8m

Free Trade will not help workers in Colombia

This appears in the pro-right, pro-business Washington Times:

President Obama's recently mentioned that free trade agreements are pending approval in Congress. One of these is with Colombia, South America, the country where I was born and where I lived until I was 21 years old.

From that insiders perspective following is my personal knowledge flavored by my understanding of Colombian culture and politics. I also have definite views of what the Free Market treaties have done to our American economy.

Competing on a non-level playing ground has not been very successful for the American worker. Making goods in a country that has rational economic, labor, and environmental structures is a lot more expensive than in a country that doesn't have them.

This combined with very low labor costs makes competition very hard if not impossible.

Mothers With Depression 'Suffer In Silence'

Sky News:

Up to 35,000 mothers each year in England and Wales are struggling with post-natal depression and not getting the help they need, according to a charity poll.

Panetta Warns Israel Getting More Isolated: http://bit.ly/mRcvZZ

Budget cuts are slowing down U.S. courts: http://bit.ly/mZWUvW

CIA worker linked to Pakistan deaths held in US after fight: http://bit.ly/rk5pdH

Albuquerque protesters 'Occupy Wall Street' in New Mexico http://ping.fm/LiFOV

Herman Cain: Rick Perry Is 'Insensitive' Toward Black People http://ping.fm/JQ3Pn

U.S. economy protests spread - Video http://ping.fm/Cz3sy

Reports say Tibetans protest in southwest China
(AP) http://ping.fm/F77Mwhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111002/ap_on_re_as/as_china_tibet_protest

Syrian tanks seize city 'from deserters http://ping.fm/hHRKS

Rep. Bachmann missed every House vote in September http://ping.fm/TKTbZ