Edwards Jabs at Former President Clinton

[RamboLiberal]

Source: SF Gate.com/AP

Democratic presidential contender John Edwards on Monday criticized former President Clinton, arguing that he allowed corporate insiders to shape the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement and sacrifice U.S. jobs.

Edwards' complaints about the former president beloved by voters in his own party was a defiant move meant to highlight rival Hillary Rodham Clinton's relationship with special interests. It comes two days after Clinton refused Edwards' challenge to stop taking campaign donations from lobbyists, saying many represent good causes.

"It's time that the president stood up and fought for American workers," Edwards told a crowd of about 300 people at a union hall in Cedar Rapids. "It's time to have a president that always puts the interests of the American people first."

While Edwards' speech did not mention the name Clinton, the object of his complaint was obvious. Edwards criticized the presidential leadership during the 1993 passage of NAFTA, which was started by President George H.W. Bush and pushed through by Clinton. He said the trade agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada was "written by insiders in all three countries."

Edwards said the policies of President George W. Bush have devastated towns and communities all across America, but "this is not just his doing."



Read more: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/08/06/politics/p092114D81.DTL&tsp=1&type=politics

[MessiahRp]

1. He's right on this one...

NAFTA has been a disaster for American workers. A total win for corporate greed and outsourcing.

Rp

[ryanmuegge]

2. But he voted for normalized trade with China

Knowing that it'd cause a massive trade deficit. Or, at least I'd think he had to have known it would contribute massively to the trade deficit. No one can compete with the Chinese price for labor.

Edwards talks a spectacular game, but his actions (at least in the past) sometimes contradict it.

[clixtox]

8. Have you heard about...

Vietnam?

Many manufacturers are opening factories here, cycling out of the PRC. INTEL is investing a billion right now near Ho Chi Minh City(Saigon). The Japanese, Koreans and Singaporeans, among other foreign investors have been making products here for a decade or more. Vietnamese are manufacturing most everything, including huge ships. While the wage structure here is low in terms of foreign exchange rates the cost of living is incredibly low. Inflation is getting to be a serious problem though for workers at these foreign owned enterprises as wages are not scheduled to go up again until October.

The brand new head of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick is in Vietnam right now...

[The Count]

3. From the guy who voted for the bankruptcy Law in 2001 - that's rich!

Who's he aiming for? The freepers?

[LostinVA]

10. My first thought, too

[autorank]

4. The Developing Story - Good for him! K*R

I'm enjoying watching Edwards swing into fill tilt populism.

If he gets there, and attacks the networks with full fury, we're in for some great stuff.

Go John!

[Algorem]

5. Clinton don't mind the jabbing,as long as he gets to do the poking

[Common Sense Party]

6. Ba dum bum bum.

(Rim shot)

[Hobbs]

7. I like insider turned squealer

WTO sucks for sure.

Has Edwards run out of money? He was down to $ 3 million in the last report.

Hope he keeps swinging as he goes down.

[robcon]

9. Clinton was right.

NAFTA and WTO are the source of jobs and economic growth for all. We should expand those trade treaties to cover more countries and to cover more commodities.

[GliderGuider]

11. Stop the SPP -- NAFTA Plus

This is the US Stop SPP site.
"The STOPSPP group is currently headquartered in Encinitas, CA and is composed of citizens who are very concerned about the US government’s plans to create a North American union and to use SPP as the vehicle to begin dismantling the USA.

SPP was started without involving Congress in any manner. Plans include erasing our borders, abolishing the US Dollar, and basically turning over the operation of our country including our justice system to an unholy cabal."

This is the Canadian Stop SPP site.
"STOP THE SPP!
- End War and Privatization
- Protect our Environment
- Reclaim Democracy

From August 19 to 21, Stephen Harper, George Bush, Mexican President Felipe Calderón and 30 corporate CEOs from Canada, Mexico and the US will meet in Montebello, Quebec, where they will continue to hammer out the so-called Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) or deep integration - behind closed doors!

Intentionally bypassing parliamentary oversight and public debate, These “leaders” are working by stealth to create a continental energy-resource pact (including water), and a North American security perimeter. They are also deciding policies that will have serious consequences for our environment and for our health."

What are my own feelings about this? Well, the Powers That Be(TM) had intended for the Vietnam War to be "sustainable" for a very long time. The force of ordinary people standing up against it was the only thing that could and did end the war.
Non violent civil disobedience is the only thing that will stop this, too.
And stop the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq... and so on.

Meet you on the barricades!

[Justyce]

12. After reading the title of the post, I

was ready to have to defend the big dog, but Edwards is right. Actually, Edwards seems to be right a lot, especially about the economy, the free trade crap, outsourcing, labor unions, protecting workers, helping the poor, etc etc etc....

[NoodleyAppendage]

13. Edwards scares the sh*t out of the power insiders (Hillary, Guiliani, Thompson, etc.)

I look for stepped-up attacks against Edwards and his haircuts. They will intensify the "girly man" ad hominem attacks in an attempt to divorce him from his populist base.

GO EDWARDS!

J