http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124010048395232143.html
Yay.
Quote
By LAURA MECKLER
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad -- President Barack Obama discussed a pending free-trade agreement with his Colombian counterpart Saturday and dispatched his trade representative to discuss U.S. concerns over Colombia's treatment of labor leaders.
At the Summit of the Americas in Port-of-Spain, Mr. Obama asked to be seated next to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, and the pair discussed the deal, U.S. officials said. During his presidential campaign, Mr. Obama had voiced opposition to the pact, citing violence toward labor organizers in Colombia. The deal, which would allow free trade between the two nations, is awaiting ratification in the U.S. Senate and has already been approved by Colombia's congress.
Since taking office, Mr. Obama has struck a more-positive tone on free trade than he often did during the campaign. He and aides have spoken out against protectionism, and in Mexico last week he declined to raise the question of renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, despite a pledge to do so last year.
In October, then-Sen. Obama expressed deep concerns over the Colombian pact. "The history in Colombia right now is that labor leaders have been targeted for assassination on a fairly consistent basis and there have not been prosecutions," he said during a presidential debate.
Saturday's lunch conversation with Mr. Uribe was "fruitful," said Denis McDonough, director of strategic communications for the National Security Council.
Mr. Obama sent U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk to meet with Mr. Uribe Friday and with the Colombian finance minister Saturday to discuss the pending agreement.
Luis Guillermo Plata, Colombia's trade, industry and tourism minister, said the U.S. doesn't plan to renegotiate the entire treaty but rather examine certain points that raise concerns, according to the Colombian government news service.
U.S. officials also were optimistic about a pending agreement with Panama. They said the recent jailing of a Panamanian leader convicted of murdering an American improves the prospects for that pact. Minor labor issues seem resolvable, an administration official said.
It is amazing how good some of the Bushitler's policies suddenly look once he is safely out of office.
Every time Barack breaks a campaign promise an angel gets his wings. :)
Quote from: Savonarola on April 22, 2009, 03:12:58 PM
Every time Barack breaks a campaign promise an angel get's his wings. :)
The good thing is that the majority of the promises he broke so far have been boneheaded in the first place (except for not hiring lobbyists).
Quote from: DGuller on April 22, 2009, 03:31:12 PM
Quote from: Savonarola on April 22, 2009, 03:12:58 PM
Every time Barack breaks a campaign promise an angel get's his wings. :)
The good thing is that the majority of the promises he broke so far have been boneheaded in the first place (except for not hiring lobbyists).
Funny that those very boneheaded promises are what got him elected though.
Quote from: Berkut on April 22, 2009, 03:32:11 PM
Quote from: DGuller on April 22, 2009, 03:31:12 PM
The good thing is that the majority of the promises he broke so far have been boneheaded in the first place (except for not hiring lobbyists).
Funny that those very boneheaded promises are what got him elected though.
Breaking them is what will get him elected to a second term.
Quote from: Savonarola on April 22, 2009, 03:42:42 PM
Quote from: Berkut on April 22, 2009, 03:32:11 PM
Quote from: DGuller on April 22, 2009, 03:31:12 PM
The good thing is that the majority of the promises he broke so far have been boneheaded in the first place (except for not hiring lobbyists).
Funny that those very boneheaded promises are what got him elected though.
Breaking them is what will get him elected to a second term.
He is slick, gotta give him that.
Quote from: Berkut on April 22, 2009, 03:32:11 PM
Funny that those very boneheaded promises are what got him elected though.
I told you not to take those things very seriously.
You took a chance he would not actually do those moronic things yourself when you voted for him I presume.
Quote from: Berkut on April 22, 2009, 03:45:12 PM
He is slick, gotta give him that.
It is exactly the same sort of thing Clinton did. Today nobody remembers the campaign promises, just the things he actually did.
Quote from: Valmy on April 22, 2009, 03:52:07 PM
Quote from: Berkut on April 22, 2009, 03:32:11 PM
Funny that those very boneheaded promises are what got him elected though.
I told you not to take those things very seriously.
You took a chance he would not actually do those moronic things yourself when you voted for him I presume.
I know, I know.
That doesn't mean I am not still a little dissapointed the guy who actually said he would do the things that Obama is now doing could not be elected.
Quote from: Valmy on April 22, 2009, 03:52:41 PM
It is exactly the same sort of thing Clinton did. Today nobody remembers the campaign promises, just the things he actually did.
The President has kept all the promises he intended to keep -then press secretary George Stephanopoulos
Quote from: Valmy on April 22, 2009, 03:52:41 PM
Quote from: Berkut on April 22, 2009, 03:45:12 PM
He is slick, gotta give him that.
It is exactly the same sort of thing Clinton did. Today nobody remembers the campaign promises, just the things he actually did.
What did Clinton actually do, anyways? Of course I remember the government shutdown and the DMCA, but what did his administration accomplish?
what promises?
Quote from: I Killed Kenny on April 22, 2009, 04:28:58 PM
what promises?
He promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide. People died and then Barack lied.
Quote from: Neil on April 22, 2009, 04:23:27 PM
Quote from: Valmy on April 22, 2009, 03:52:41 PM
Quote from: Berkut on April 22, 2009, 03:45:12 PM
He is slick, gotta give him that.
It is exactly the same sort of thing Clinton did. Today nobody remembers the campaign promises, just the things he actually did.
What did Clinton actually do, anyways? Of course I remember the government shutdown and the DMCA, but what did his administration accomplish?
Killed Serbs.
Quote from: Neil on April 22, 2009, 04:23:27 PM
What did Clinton actually do, anyways? Of course I remember the government shutdown and the DMCA, but what did his administration accomplish?
Free trade agreements for he was big on spreading the wonderous gospel of neo-liberal economics throughout the world. For that his name shall always be holy.
That the guy was a slime ball is merely an inconvenient fact.
Quote from: Neil on April 22, 2009, 04:23:27 PM
What did Clinton actually do, anyways? Of course I remember the government shutdown and the DMCA, but what did his administration accomplish?
People get too hung up on the need to "accomplish something". Sometimes, just not fucking everything up is the best thing to do. Though IMO, Billy did accomplish a lot.
Quote from: Savonarola on April 22, 2009, 04:08:45 PM
The President has kept all the promises he intended to keep -then press secretary George Stephanopoulos
Greatest Clinton-era quote ever. That just about sums up Democratic candidates.
Quote from: Valmy on April 22, 2009, 05:15:30 PM
Quote from: Neil on April 22, 2009, 04:23:27 PM
What did Clinton actually do, anyways? Of course I remember the government shutdown and the DMCA, but what did his administration accomplish?
Free trade agreements for he was big on spreading the wonderous gospel of neo-liberal economics throughout the world. For that his name shall always be holy.
That the guy was a slime ball is merely an inconvenient fact.
Well, I'll give him credit for that. Clinton was far more courageous than Obama ever could be, since Clinton stood up to organized labour.
But it's also important to remember that Clinton presided over the beginning of the lost decade, when we decided to gear the entire economy towards financial sector, which turned out to be one big wealth-destroying casino. Bush took it to the next level, but Clinton started it (or sat idly by while others did it).
Quote from: Valmy on April 22, 2009, 03:10:14 PM
It is amazing how good some of the Bushitler's policies suddenly look once he is safely out of office.
To be fair Bush was a pretty decent President once he was weak. When he'd lost Congress and most of his credibility he proved to be a good weak President, he was only bad when he had Congress's support and some residue of popularity.
Most of Bush's 'realist' policies that he followed from 2006 are generally pretty decent, as were many of his appointees. I still think Hank Paulson deserves a bit more respect and love than he gets, he was in a truly dreadful position and it's impossible to imagine any of Bush's other Treasury Secretaries handling it as well as Paulson did. I think he also did some very important things that were hugely unpopular but right. Similarly I've a lot of time for Gates.
QuoteThat doesn't mean I am not still a little dissapointed the guy who actually said he would do the things that Obama is now doing could not be elected.
He could but for two or three glaring reasons. Sarah Palin above all. Imagine the horror and fear everyone would feel every time McCain got the sniffles :bleeding:
QuoteHe promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide. People died and then Barack lied.
To be fair I generally like the idea of recognising the Armenian genocide. I think now would be a bad time, because the Turks and Armenians are talking for the first time in 20 years. The gossip is that they'll probably normalise relationships and open the borders. I think America making a grand, but right, declaration could hurt those negotiations and it would be better for the US (and the EU) to support them and actually try and improve two countries' relationships now than to take the moral position on the genocide.
Sad as that is.
Quote from: Sheilbh on April 22, 2009, 05:29:14 PM
He could but for two or three glaring reasons. Sarah Palin above all. Imagine the horror and fear everyone would feel every time McCain got the sniffles :bleeding:
Another is that the Dems didn't run Kerry again.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on April 22, 2009, 08:37:31 PMAnother is that the Dems didn't run Kerry again.
Indeed after rummaging through the country to find the only person less charismatic than Gore the Democrats finally realised that running a live human candidate is allowed.