Bush Links Auto Industry Bailout to Colombia Trade Bill
9:51 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Colombia|economy|Labor
11 Nov 2008
Remember how we all felt so good that Obama recognized that Colombian union leaders were getting murdered by corporations and stated as such during the debates? Remember how the Colombian organization, Association of Indigenous Couincils, wrote their letter to Obama detailing their lives and what they’d like to see happen under an Obama presidency?
Well, now we have President Bush’s response to their reality:
Bush said he would back demands for an auto industry bailout if Democrats support the stalled “free trade” deal with Colombia. Congressional Democrats have held up the deal over human rights concerns. Obama cited the repeated killings of Colombian union leaders during his final debate with John McCain last month. Democrats want to use some of the $700 billion in bailout money for major car companies like General Motors.
Basically, what this boils down to is if people in my community wants jobs, we must sign on to the murder of fellow workers down in Colombia. I vote an emphatic no on that choice. I hope that the unions in my area stick to their pre-election guns and recognize the blatant violent racism they will be participating in if they too, do not reject such a compromise.
via Democracy Now!
- Tags: Colombia, organizing, unions, workers
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3 Responses to Bush Links Auto Industry Bailout to Colombia Trade Bill
LC
November 11th, 2008 at 11:10 am
That’s complete ignorance. You ahve no idea how the agreement would help Colombia in the long run. I’m Colombian AND a US resident spending half my time here and half the time there and the claims of the assasinations, as they may be true in part, should not be related to an agreement that would benefit both countries.
La Macha
November 11th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Why not, LC? Why should the murder of workers come after what’s good “for the country”? Since when was nationalism better for citizens than safety, and oh, I don’t know–being alive–are?
Erwin C.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
“I’m Colombian AND a US resident” as well though I would hope you take my viewpoint with a grain of salt.
Sadly, the political rhetoric and posturing surrounding the FTA has opaqued the reality behind the bill.
As it stands, the economic benefits of the FTA would be minimal since previous arrangements have eliminated a vast majority of tariffs between both countries. Furthermore, the FTA’s negotiations left a sour taste in the mouth of the heads of several Colombian industries since they believed that the FTA provided far too many concessions to the U.S.
Though the number of labor leaders killed in Colombia has gone down, compared to other countries the number is still among the world’s highest. On a broader level, the Colombian human rights situation has deteriorated and, for the most part, has been on the back burner for the Uribe admin.
With that said, it would be best for the FTA to be renegotiated and a better compromise be hammered out. It won’t be easy, mind you, but the FTA as it currently stands is too divisive.
By the way, have you noticed how the FTA with Peru barely gets any mention? In the war of words and rhetoric Peru is an unfortunate afterthought.