Citizens Trade Campaign: Obama admin possibly "intentionally misleading" public on Korean free trade

[brentspeak]

Though exports of aircraft parts to Korea have risen since the KORUS "free trade" deal was signed by Obama last year (that was expected because of the deal stipulations), exports of pretty much everything else have fallen (we were promised otherwise). KORUS was signed by Obama because the US Chamber of Commerce and Wall St. crooks like Robert Rubin wanted it.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20130527-BIZ-305270309

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20130527-BIZ-305270309

By Rob Hotakainen
McClatchy Washington Bureau
May 27, 2013 2:00 AM

WASHINGTON — More than a year after it took effect, a highly touted trade deal with South Korea has failed to produce as expected for the United States: Exports are down, imports are up and the trade deficit with the Asian economic powerhouse has ballooned.

snip

Overall, U.S. exports to Korea from March 2012 to this February fell to $42 billion, a 6 percent decline from the previous one-year period, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. During the same time, Korean imports increased by 4 percent.

The U.S. trade deficit with Korea went from $13.2 billion at the end of 2011 to nearly $16.6 billion at the end of last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Noting that the Obama administration has been busy touting the South Korea deal, most recently during a visit to Washington, D.C., by South Korean President Park Geun-hye two weeks ago, Stamoulis said backers of the pact should take a hard look at the statistics...
"I think folks in the Obama administration either aren't looking at the numbers or they're intentionally misleading folks," he said. "Because the data is clear: This is a pact that has undercut the president's goals for export growth and job creation."

[AndyA]

1. Have any of the free trade agreements been advantageous to the United States?

I've been under the impression that they've hurt the U.S. economy and favored the others. Why do we keep signing these things, especially given the high unemployment in the U.S.?

[HooptieWagon]

4. They benefit large corporations...

especially agri-business....thats why they get passed. They are a net loss to Americans...while some imported goods are cheaper in price, job losses and wage-suppression mean they are losing propositions for most of us.

[leftyohiolib]

2. they're catching on that our potus will believe anything anyone tells him

[byeya]

3. The TransPacific Parnership(TPP) is being negotiated right now. It's a NAFTA like pro corp

deal.
The secrecy is such that not one member of Congress - much less the public - knows the outline of the deal. However, hundreds of corporations have been given access to the text of the draft.

Even our elected officials - poor as they are - are excluded from knowing about TPP. Do you know? Are you a corporation?

How about that NAFTA kiddoes?