Under the cover of night on Friday, President Obama announced a new NAFTA-style "free trade" deal with Korea -- but it's not all that new. It's got all the same provisions in it that he vigorously opposed on the campaign trail when George W. Bush originally negotiated the deal. 1
With 15.1 million people currently unemployed in the United States, it is insane to extend the same NAFTA privileges to Korea that have already ransacked America's manufacturing sector and decimated our labor force.
President Obama is going to send this NAFTA-style Korea Free Trade deal to Congress very soon. We need to put a stop to this new NAFTA immediately, so Congress needs to hear from you now.
Sign our petition to Congress: "No New NAFTA! Don't support another job-killing, NAFTA-style 'free trade' agreement with Korea." Click here to add your name.
http://NoNewNAFTA.com
President Obama says he's doing this to create jobs.2 As Paul Krugman points out today, it won't. 3 But killing jobs is just the beginning of what's wrong with the NAFTA-style Korea Free Trade deal.
Like its job-killing cousins NAFTA and CAFTA, this Korean trade deal would:
Allow foreign corporations to operate inside the United States under privileged international trade agreements, rather than having to obey our laws that apply to our businesses. 4
Prohibit us from limiting the size of banks, making us give up the right to decide what "too big to fail" is on our own shores
Ban the government's ability to adopt "buy American" policies
Prohibit us from banning risky financial goods and services (like derivatives trading), otherwise US taxpayers will have to pay compensation to international companies for the profits they won't be able to reap from engaging in such transactions
Force the United States to submit to the judgment of foreign tribunals
Elevate foreign corporations to equal status with the sovereign United States, empowering foreign companies with new rights to sue the U.S. government before the UN and World Bank tribunals, skirting US courts.
Think that can't happen? To date, US taxpayers have paid out over $400 million in compensation to foreign corporations from such cases under NAFTA. And we spent million in legal costs even on cases we won, with billions more outstanding in unsettled cases. 5
This is a giveaway of American jobs and American sovereignty to foreign corporations. We need Congress to stop the Korea "free trade" deal in its tracks.
No New NAFTA: sign our petition to Congress to stop the NAFTA-style Korea Free Trade deal. Click here to sign:
http://NoNewNAFTA.com
Make no mistake - the Korea Free Trade deal is as dangerous to America as NAFTA, CAFTA, and the rest of the "free trade" deals. Thanks so much for standing up to this new NAFTA.
- Jane Hamsher
Firedoglake.com
------------
Sources
"AFL-CIO Legislative Meeting Explodes Over Obama’s NAFTA-Style Korea Free Trade Deal," FDL Action. 12/6/10
"159,000 Jobs Lost: The Price of NAFTA-Style Korea Free Trade," FDL Action. 12/4/10
"Trade Does Not Equal Jobs," The New York Times. 12/6/10
"Korea Free Trade Deal," Public Citizen. 12/3/10
"NAFTA Foreign Investor-State Claims," Public Citizen. 11/2010 (PDF)
Showing posts with label Bush. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bush. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Former Bush administration officials: No one anticipated large oil spill
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/07/former_bush_administration_off.html
Holy shit! What an excuse!
Nobody asked and we didn't anticipate one. I wish that statement was a joke but it's not.
Now I'm scared, because I now have an understanding of the level of ignorance that is making decisions for this country.
Two former Interior secretaries told Congress today they did not anticipate an accident as large as the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
But Gale Norton and Dirk Kempthorne say no one else did either -- including members of Congress who are now blaming the Bush administration for failing to prevent the tragedy.
Kempthorne, who served as Interior secretary from 2006 to January 2009, while George W. Bush was president, said he did not recall being asked at his confirmation hearing or in later congressional testimony about major oil spills.
Holy shit! What an excuse!
Nobody asked and we didn't anticipate one. I wish that statement was a joke but it's not.
Now I'm scared, because I now have an understanding of the level of ignorance that is making decisions for this country.
Two former Interior secretaries told Congress today they did not anticipate an accident as large as the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
But Gale Norton and Dirk Kempthorne say no one else did either -- including members of Congress who are now blaming the Bush administration for failing to prevent the tragedy.
Kempthorne, who served as Interior secretary from 2006 to January 2009, while George W. Bush was president, said he did not recall being asked at his confirmation hearing or in later congressional testimony about major oil spills.
Friday, February 5, 2010
International Criminal Court complaint filed against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Tenet, Rice and Gonzales
http://www.redress.cc/global/redress20100206
Sanity breathes
International Criminal Court complaint filed against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Tenet, Rice and Gonzales
Request for international arrest warrants
6 February 2010
A leading US professor of law has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court prosecutor against former US President George W. Bush and a number of his senior lieutenants alleging crimes against humanity for their policy and practice of “extraordinary rendition” and requesting that the ICC prosecutor obtain international arrest warrants against Mr Bush and his co-accused.
Professor Francis A. Boyle of the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign, USA, has filed a complaint with the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague against US citizens George W. Bush, Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenet, Condoleezza Rice and Alberto Gonzales (the “Accused”) for their criminal policy and practice of “extraordinary rendition” perpetrated upon about 100 human beings.
“Extraordinary rendition” is a euphemism for the enforced disappearance of persons and their consequent torture. This criminal policy and practice by the Accused constitutes crimes against humanity in violation of the Rome Statute establishing the ICC.
The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute. Nevertheless, the Accused have ordered and been responsible for the commission of actions considered as crimes under the ICC statute within the respective territories of many ICC member states, including several in Europe. Consequently, the ICC has jurisdiction to prosecute the Accused for their ICC statutory crimes under Rome Statute Article 12(2)(a) that affords the ICC jurisdiction to prosecute for ICC statutory crimes committed in ICC member states.
The complaint requests:
That the ICC prosecutor open an investigation of the Accused on his own accord under Rome Statute article 15(1); and
That the ICC Prosecutor also formally “submit to the [ICC] Pre-Trial Chamber a request for authorization of an investigation” of the Accused under Rome Statute Article 15(3).
For similar reasons, the highest level officials of the Obama administration risk the filing of a follow-up complaint with the ICC if they do not immediately terminate the Accused’s criminal policy and practice of “extraordinary rendition, which the Obama administration has continued to implement.
Sanity breathes
International Criminal Court complaint filed against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Tenet, Rice and Gonzales
Request for international arrest warrants
6 February 2010
A leading US professor of law has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court prosecutor against former US President George W. Bush and a number of his senior lieutenants alleging crimes against humanity for their policy and practice of “extraordinary rendition” and requesting that the ICC prosecutor obtain international arrest warrants against Mr Bush and his co-accused.
Professor Francis A. Boyle of the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign, USA, has filed a complaint with the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague against US citizens George W. Bush, Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenet, Condoleezza Rice and Alberto Gonzales (the “Accused”) for their criminal policy and practice of “extraordinary rendition” perpetrated upon about 100 human beings.
“Extraordinary rendition” is a euphemism for the enforced disappearance of persons and their consequent torture. This criminal policy and practice by the Accused constitutes crimes against humanity in violation of the Rome Statute establishing the ICC.
The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute. Nevertheless, the Accused have ordered and been responsible for the commission of actions considered as crimes under the ICC statute within the respective territories of many ICC member states, including several in Europe. Consequently, the ICC has jurisdiction to prosecute the Accused for their ICC statutory crimes under Rome Statute Article 12(2)(a) that affords the ICC jurisdiction to prosecute for ICC statutory crimes committed in ICC member states.
The complaint requests:
That the ICC prosecutor open an investigation of the Accused on his own accord under Rome Statute article 15(1); and
That the ICC Prosecutor also formally “submit to the [ICC] Pre-Trial Chamber a request for authorization of an investigation” of the Accused under Rome Statute Article 15(3).
For similar reasons, the highest level officials of the Obama administration risk the filing of a follow-up complaint with the ICC if they do not immediately terminate the Accused’s criminal policy and practice of “extraordinary rendition, which the Obama administration has continued to implement.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Carlyle, Kissinger,SAIC, and Halliburton: a 9/11 convergence
http://www.infowars.com/carlyle-kissinger-saic-and-halliburton-a-911-convergence/
coincidence....NO..... Collision.....of course
Careful investigation leads one to notice that a number of intriguing groups of people and organizations converged on the events of September 11th, 2001. An example is the group of men who were members of Cornell University’s Quill & Dagger society. This included Paul Wolfowitz, National Security Advisors Sandy Berger and Stephen Hadley, Marsh & McLennan executive Stephen Friedman, and the founder of Kroll Associates, Jules Kroll. Another interconnected group of organizations is linked to these Cornell comrades, and is even more interesting in terms of its members being integral to the events of 9/11, and having benefited from those events.
After the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center (WTC), a company called Stratesec (or Securacom) was responsible for the overall integration of the new security system designed by Kroll Asoociates. Stratesec had a small board of directors that included retired Air Force General James Abrahamson, Marvin Bush (the brother of George W. Bush) and Wirt Walker III, a cousin of the Bush brothers. Other directors included Charles Archer, former Assistant Director in charge of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division, and Yousef Saud Al Sabah, a member of the Kuwaiti royal family.[1]
coincidence....NO..... Collision.....of course
Careful investigation leads one to notice that a number of intriguing groups of people and organizations converged on the events of September 11th, 2001. An example is the group of men who were members of Cornell University’s Quill & Dagger society. This included Paul Wolfowitz, National Security Advisors Sandy Berger and Stephen Hadley, Marsh & McLennan executive Stephen Friedman, and the founder of Kroll Associates, Jules Kroll. Another interconnected group of organizations is linked to these Cornell comrades, and is even more interesting in terms of its members being integral to the events of 9/11, and having benefited from those events.
After the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center (WTC), a company called Stratesec (or Securacom) was responsible for the overall integration of the new security system designed by Kroll Asoociates. Stratesec had a small board of directors that included retired Air Force General James Abrahamson, Marvin Bush (the brother of George W. Bush) and Wirt Walker III, a cousin of the Bush brothers. Other directors included Charles Archer, former Assistant Director in charge of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division, and Yousef Saud Al Sabah, a member of the Kuwaiti royal family.[1]
Friday, December 11, 2009
White House wants suit against Yoo dismissed
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/12/08/MN061AVC89.DTL
What change would this be? It looks to me like it's more a case of
"Getting by with a little help from my friends"
Obama is just as morally corrupt as the rest of them.
The Obama administration has asked an appeals court to dismiss a lawsuit accusing former Bush administration attorney John Yoo of authorizing the torture of a terrorism suspect, saying federal law does not allow damage claims against lawyers who advise the president on national security issues.
Such lawsuits ask courts to second-guess presidential decisions and pose "the risk of deterring full and frank advice regarding the military's detention and treatment of those determined to be enemies during an armed conflict," Justice Department lawyers said Thursday in arguments to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
Other sanctions are available for government lawyers who commit misconduct, the department said. It noted that its Office of Professional Responsibility has been investigating Yoo's advice to former President George W. Bush since 2004 and has the power to recommend professional discipline or even criminal prosecution.
The office has not made its conclusions public. However, The Chronicle and other media reported in May that the office will recommend that Yoo be referred to the bar association for possible discipline, but that he not be prosecuted.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/12/08/MN061AVC89.DTL#ixzz0ZP2wvFTt
What change would this be? It looks to me like it's more a case of
"Getting by with a little help from my friends"
Obama is just as morally corrupt as the rest of them.
The Obama administration has asked an appeals court to dismiss a lawsuit accusing former Bush administration attorney John Yoo of authorizing the torture of a terrorism suspect, saying federal law does not allow damage claims against lawyers who advise the president on national security issues.
Such lawsuits ask courts to second-guess presidential decisions and pose "the risk of deterring full and frank advice regarding the military's detention and treatment of those determined to be enemies during an armed conflict," Justice Department lawyers said Thursday in arguments to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
Other sanctions are available for government lawyers who commit misconduct, the department said. It noted that its Office of Professional Responsibility has been investigating Yoo's advice to former President George W. Bush since 2004 and has the power to recommend professional discipline or even criminal prosecution.
The office has not made its conclusions public. However, The Chronicle and other media reported in May that the office will recommend that Yoo be referred to the bar association for possible discipline, but that he not be prosecuted.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/12/08/MN061AVC89.DTL#ixzz0ZP2wvFTt
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Prosecutor eyeing war crimes in Afghanistan
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gshUsLwK6VrjP3x2N2Ht_0gIPnnQD9AK355O1
Who would have guessed that Bush would renege on that deal
The International Criminal Court, which began operating in 2002, is the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal. Afghanistan is one of the 110 countries that have ratified the Rome treaty which created the tribunal and are therefore legally bound by its provisions.
Under the treaty, the court can step in only when countries are unwilling or unable to dispense justice themselves for genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes.
Ocampo said it has been "very difficult" to collect precise information about some of the alleged crimes, but his office has benefited from reports produced by non-governmental organizations who "arrived before us and provided information to us."
He said he has requested information from human rights groups and groups inside Afghanistan as well as the Afghan government — and would be "very open" to information from foreign governments.
Taliban fighters have been accused of many brutal killings. There have also been some accusations of U.S. forces in Afghanistan using excessive force and torturing prisoners.
He confirmed that allegations involved both the Taliban and NATO forces.
The Clinton administration signed the Rome Treaty establishing the court, but the Bush administration rescinded the U.S. signature, arguing that the court could be used for frivolous or politically motivated prosecution of American troops.
Who would have guessed that Bush would renege on that deal
The International Criminal Court, which began operating in 2002, is the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal. Afghanistan is one of the 110 countries that have ratified the Rome treaty which created the tribunal and are therefore legally bound by its provisions.
Under the treaty, the court can step in only when countries are unwilling or unable to dispense justice themselves for genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes.
Ocampo said it has been "very difficult" to collect precise information about some of the alleged crimes, but his office has benefited from reports produced by non-governmental organizations who "arrived before us and provided information to us."
He said he has requested information from human rights groups and groups inside Afghanistan as well as the Afghan government — and would be "very open" to information from foreign governments.
Taliban fighters have been accused of many brutal killings. There have also been some accusations of U.S. forces in Afghanistan using excessive force and torturing prisoners.
He confirmed that allegations involved both the Taliban and NATO forces.
The Clinton administration signed the Rome Treaty establishing the court, but the Bush administration rescinded the U.S. signature, arguing that the court could be used for frivolous or politically motivated prosecution of American troops.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The palace that Bush built
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/117/story/72267.html
The question is will Obama create this same magnitude of waste in his surge on Afghanistan
The U.S. Embassy in Iraq, the government's largest overseas diplomatic mission, is significantly overstaffed and needs to be downsized to reflect the reduced American role in the country, according to a new State Department report.
"There is a clear consensus from the top to the bottom of the embassy: The time has come for a significant rightsizing," says the report Wednesday by the department's inspector general.
The report came as President Barack Obama met Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki in Washington for talks on the significant changes in the U.S.-Iraqi relationship. American combat troops ceased operations in Iraqi cities on June 30, Maliki's government has become more assertive about exercising Iraqi sovereignty and Obama has shifted the attention that his predecessor put on Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In addition to downsizing the embassy, the report recommends ending the Provincial Reconstruction Teams by 2011, which have been the prime U.S. tool for rebuilding civilian life in Iraq's provinces.
The question is will Obama create this same magnitude of waste in his surge on Afghanistan
The U.S. Embassy in Iraq, the government's largest overseas diplomatic mission, is significantly overstaffed and needs to be downsized to reflect the reduced American role in the country, according to a new State Department report.
"There is a clear consensus from the top to the bottom of the embassy: The time has come for a significant rightsizing," says the report Wednesday by the department's inspector general.
The report came as President Barack Obama met Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki in Washington for talks on the significant changes in the U.S.-Iraqi relationship. American combat troops ceased operations in Iraqi cities on June 30, Maliki's government has become more assertive about exercising Iraqi sovereignty and Obama has shifted the attention that his predecessor put on Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In addition to downsizing the embassy, the report recommends ending the Provincial Reconstruction Teams by 2011, which have been the prime U.S. tool for rebuilding civilian life in Iraq's provinces.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)