CAFTA

Trade Pact Approved By House
GOP Struggles to Eke Out 217-215 Victory on CAFTA

By Paul Blustein and Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, July 28, 2005; Page A01

The House narrowly approved the Central American Free Trade Agreement this morning, delivering a hard-fought victory to President Bush while underscoring the nation's deep divisions over trade.

The 217 to 215 vote came just after midnight, in a dramatic finish that highlighted the intensity brought by both sides to the battle. When the usual 15-minute voting period expired at 11:17 p.m., the no votes outnumbered the yes votes by 180 to 175, with dozens of members undeclared. House Republican leaders kept the voting open for another 47 minutes, furiously rounding up holdouts in their own party until they had secured just enough to ensure approval.



House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) and Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) wait for President Bush to pass before holding a news conference on CAFTA. (By Melina Mara -- The Washington Post)

CAFTA Roll Call
Final House Vote on Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, H.R. 3045 (THOMAS, Library of Congress)



The House vote was effectively the last hurdle -- and by far the steepest -- facing CAFTA, which will tear down barriers to trade and investment between the United States, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.


CAFTA will have a disastrous effect on the American labor force. No where in this bill does it state that the above countries must practice fair trade. Follow ANY labor law standards or any environmental laws. Basically this Trade Pact gives Carte Blanche to large corporations to exploit foreign workers, get cheap labor, ignore costly environmental protection policies and make HUGE profits at the expense of American jobs.

WOW!!

Way to go!! Pretty soon we will be solely a nation of minimum wage workers with absolutely no medical benefits enslaved to Corporate America.

Amazing!!!

Old West Photo

On Friday we headed to the Coast. We stopped in Astoria to give Ana a break from the car. One year olds can only sit in a car for so long before they start getting quite antsy. Ana did very well. But even the best baby has a limit. We walked around Astoria near the Mariners museum. Bree had never been to Astoria or Seaside, despite living in Florence for most of her early childhood. After our break we headed over to Seaside. Ate some lunch then strolled the town of Seaside. We bought saltwater taffy, tried on silly hats, then decided to get one of those old fashion photos done. Kurt thought surely they wouldn't have anything to fit him but he was wrong. They did. Bree & I picked out some non-scanty outfits and dressed Ana in an adorable baby dress. Then we awaited our turn a dorkdom.

I have tried to post the Photo but keep getting an error. Bummer!! Probably due to copy right or something.

Yeaaaaaa!!! 

Ana's favorite place at the zoo was the big grassy commons area. Where she could run (toddle) wild and free. Here is Bree & me holding her hand while she finds her footing on the rough terrain.
 

Thursday we all decided to go to the Zoo. this was our first stop. The restaurant. Ana is quite pleased to be at the zoo restaurant 

The Prodigal Daughter

Breauna & Ana arrived on Sunday, July 17th, at 11:30. Kurt and I were there to meet her and the baby. Butterflies, June bugs, spiders and various other insects were having a tequila party in my stomach as I anxiously awaited their arrival. At long last I saw Bree & Ana heading our way. Looking a bit haggard. This was Bree’s first flying adventure. (She has a bit of a fear of flying. Probably something to do with a large metal object floating in the air) Hugs were exchanged and off to the Monty we headed.

The air was filled with tension. I hadn’t seen Bree since July of ’01. Then the last contact I had with her was an e-mail telling me to basically stay out of her life. Mind you she was 14 and I should have completely disregarded that. But there was just too much water under the bridge. So I did.

But here she was now, in Portland/Vancouver to stay the whole week with me.

WOW!!

Sunday we pretty much just relaxed, ate and talked. Monday we went shopping. I got Bree some great outfits. She so needed new clothes. That is what happens when you become a wife and mom. You spend every dime on everyone else and completely ignore yourself. So, this was Bree’s turn. By the end of Wednesday we had rebuilt her wardrobe and retooled her entire look. She looked great!! Oh and we bought EVERY thing on sale.

Basically, for the first three days we shopped. I love shopping.

Well I am outta work now. So I will continue the Blog tomorrow with photos.