Based on their treatment of President Alvaro Uribe, who is here to plead for a free trade pact, it's almost as if Democrats don't want the U.S. to have allies. Uribe made a rare visit to Washington, and shamefully few Democrats agreed to meet him.
Uribe didn't come asking for much — only that Congress keep its word on an agreement that will drop tariffs on American goods sold in Colombia and help his country develop and prosper as a bulwark of democracy in a battered region.
"We consider that in the coming years if the free-trade agreement were approved... the main economic result could be the increase in investments in our country," Uribe told the Brookings Institution.
"And the more we increase legal investments in our country, the less difficult our task to defeat terrorist groups, to defeat illegal drugs."
Uribe also heads a country that last July put its own men in harm's way to free three innocent Americans held hostage by FARC Marxist terrorists. The rescue came off without a hitch or a shot being fired.
For that alone, Uribe should get his trade pact — with maybe a ticker tape parade thrown in for good measure.
But what he's getting from the Washington establishment is a lot less. President Bush did extend a warm welcome on Saturday, and Uribe also met with Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and some CEOs in Atlanta.
But Democrats did all they could to slight him, generally hiding and making lame excuses for doing so.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who arbitrarily iced Colombia's free trade deal last April, refused to meet Uribe and didn't acknowledge a White House invitation to an event in his honor. Later, her staff regally complained that Uribe didn't call her.
This is part of a pattern. For years, Pelosi has insulted, slighted, road blocked and now ignored Uribe, the most valuable ally the U.S. has ever had in Latin America. Her motives are constantly shifting.
One minute she's complaining about human rights abuses in Colombia, despite an 86% drop in the murder rate of union activists. Then she says it's all about passing stimulus packages first. The common thread is serving Big Labor special interests at election time.
This is what passes for Democratic leadership these days. Uribe urged nonpartisanship in considering Colombia's case for free trade, but lesser Democrats were just as craven and irresponsible as Pelosi.
Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama only grudgingly permitted Uribe to talk with him by telephone, afterward disclosing no news about why he still opposes cutting tariffs on American goods to Colombia as the free trade pact provides. Nor did he make any public statements, seemingly to make the call go unnoticed.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who's fond of junketing to the luxury locales in South America, had no time to repay the hospitality to Uribe. And two Democrats held out as Latin experts, Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, couldn't give Uribe the time of day.
Some pro-free-trade Democrats, including Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, were notable exceptions and did welcome Uribe. But none of the Democrats billed as foreign-policy heavy hitters could see that the implications of snubbing Colombia send a message to the region that it pays more to be America's enemy than its friend.
Into the vacuum, however, has stepped in Gov. Sarah Palin. The supposedly foreign-policy-challenged vice presidential candidate asked to meet with Uribe on Tuesday in New York to support our ally.
As chief executive of Alaska, Palin knows what it's like to deal with a Congress that dismisses her state as distant, lectures it on ecological virtue and then denies its citizens development. She understands perfectly how it must feel to be Uribe, who's gotten the exact same treatment from a Washington establishment.
Palin's reception of Uribe is a far more serious statement than Obama's visits to the tourist spots of Europe that he chalked up as foreign policy experience.
Palin's meeting with Uribe shows a commitment to American interests over Washington politics. Thank goodness Palin knows how to act when an important leader and true friend comes calling.
Source: Investor's daily
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
uribe and obama: pure politics
It looks like President Uribe isn't betting everything on a republican win this November. El Tiempo, Colombia's main newspaper, is reporting that Uribe spoke to Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama, before heading off to the U.S. to promote the free trade agreement that Congress has stalled indefinitely.
Maintaining good relations with the democrats is key for President Uribe because they are the main opponents to the passage of the free trade agreement with Colombia. Throughout his campaign, Obama has strongly opposed free trade agreements, claiming them to be a loss of jobs for Americans. The majority of the democrats in congress have opposed the agreement with Colombia because they claim that there are still too many murders there.
While President Uribe's trip was initially intended to lobby Congress for the passage of the trade agreement, he has cancelled all of his meetings with Congress due to the impending elections and the disaster on Wall Street. He is scheduled to meet with President Bush briefly, before heading to New York to attend the United Nations general assembly.
Links Below:
Obama reiteró a Uribe oposición al TLC porque las condiciones para los sindicalistas no han mejorado
Uribe Habló Con Obama Y Se Fue A E.U.
Maintaining good relations with the democrats is key for President Uribe because they are the main opponents to the passage of the free trade agreement with Colombia. Throughout his campaign, Obama has strongly opposed free trade agreements, claiming them to be a loss of jobs for Americans. The majority of the democrats in congress have opposed the agreement with Colombia because they claim that there are still too many murders there.
While President Uribe's trip was initially intended to lobby Congress for the passage of the trade agreement, he has cancelled all of his meetings with Congress due to the impending elections and the disaster on Wall Street. He is scheduled to meet with President Bush briefly, before heading to New York to attend the United Nations general assembly.
Links Below:
Obama reiteró a Uribe oposición al TLC porque las condiciones para los sindicalistas no han mejorado
Uribe Habló Con Obama Y Se Fue A E.U.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
President Uribe: a third term?
Most Colombians aren't opposed to President Uribe running for office for a third term. My position doesn't matter. Uribe should groom a potential President-to-be and leave the country running as successfully as it has been. I don't want to equate Colombia to Russia, but look at how over-involved Ex-President Putin is in Russia's affairs. President Uribe could step aside and continue to influence Colombia without endangering Colombia's already fragile democratic institutions.
Mr. Uribe's Choice
President of Colombia Seeks Replay of ’06 Vote
'Uribe debería decir a sus amigos que no desea un tercer período', dice 'The New York Times'
Mr. Uribe's Choice
President of Colombia Seeks Replay of ’06 Vote
'Uribe debería decir a sus amigos que no desea un tercer período', dice 'The New York Times'
Sunday, July 27, 2008
colombia: trade deal, a positive for both america and colombia
“Someone’s going to lose a job, but many more will gain one so, in the aggregate, the world is economically better off.” — Professor Kevin C. KennedyFree trade is a system in which the trade of goods and services between or within countries flows unhindered by government-imposed restrictions. Such government interventions generally increase costs of goods and services to both consumers and producers. Interventions include taxes and tariffs, non-tariff barriers, such as regulatory legislation and quotas.
The Colombian trade deal with the United States is at a stalemate. Even though it would benefit Americans more than Colombians, it will not be passed anytime soon due to silly politics and to the simple fact that politicians are doing anything they can to win over voters.
Below are some facts
- In the recent months, nearly 100 newspapers in the U.S. have endorsed the Colombian trade agreement. So have many top democrats, including Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago.
- At least 55 members of Congress, including two Democrats from the Senate and 25 from the House, have traveled to Colombia, in trips usually led by an indefatigable cheerleader for the trade pact, either Ms. Schwab or the commerce secretary, Carlos M. Gutierrez.
- The White House says Mr. Bush has called for passage of the deal 40 times, and Ms. Schwab and other cabinet members have given 145 speeches on it.
- The administration has lined up the support of Democratic mayors and members of the Clinton administration, and obtained endorsements from trade associations with ties to Democrats, including those for the movie, music and consumer electronics industries.
- By itself, trade with Colombia represents barely 1 percent of total United States trade volume. Imports from Colombia totaled $9.4 billion in 2007, mostly oil, spices, coffee and tea. Exports, of machinery, chemicals, plastics, corn and other goods, were $8.6 billion.
Some important links
Sunday, July 20, 2008
independence day
Today is Colombian's independence day. People around the world celebrated the birth of our nation with concerts, marches, and a united cry for freedom. I couldn't be prouder of how far my beautiful country has come.
President Uribe was accompanied by the President of Peru and Brazil during Colombian's celebration. The three of them united with Shakira and Carlos Vives in Leticia to ask the FARC for the liberty of all the Colombians that remain in the jungle. Leticia is the capital of of the department of Amazonas, Colombia's southernmost town. Click here to watch.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Betancourt's liberation made history. Besides restoring a family, her liberation did so much for Colombia. It made it safer; it showed the world the strong ties between Colombia and USA; it brought Colombian closer to Ingrid's other country, France. It showed Chavez, our neighbor, that his guerrilla antics have no say and no power in Colombia. It showed the world that our President's stance works when it comes to violence and narcotics. It showed so much - and that is what matters most.Below are some stories that I enjoyed and that hopefully, you will too.
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