Atlasian Worker Defense Act

[12th Doctor]

The question that must be asked about NAFTA is a simple one; who's benifited from it?

Have the hardworking folks of my district benifited? The miles of rusting steelworks, ruined and burned out factories and dying coal towns in my district speak for themselves.
Have ordinary Mexicans benifited? No... of course not. Mexico still has an appalling poverty problem, wages are low, labor laws are lax, working conditions are poor and it is becoming economically dependent on Atlasia to a worrying extent.
So who has benifited? I speak for my constituents when I say the answer is obvious... Yet again the only people to benifit in a meaningful way are out of touch Corperate Fat Cat's. Why should our trade policy be dependent on the whims of a tiny minority, most of which belong behind bars anyway?

NAFTA is bad for Atlasia, bad for Mexico and, as Senator Gabu points out, even bad for "Free Trade"... and I support it's repeal.

Senator, that has nothing to do with NAFTA and you should know it.  While I admit to being touched by your appeal and I feel a great deal of your pain on this issue... I must say that ending Free Trade with Japan or the EU would go further to bringing the steel factories back.

It is however, my opinion that free trade between free nations is beneficial for all peoples of the world as nations that come to rely on each other economically come to rely on each other in other ways and thus, cooperation is born.  To cut ourselves off from the trade of others is a large step towards cutting ourselves off from the world.

While I agree that we should look to further review of those portions of the Agreement involving Mexico to figure out how we can bring a great benefit there, the benefits of this agreement in Atlasia have been long felt by her people.

The fact is that most manufacturing jobs in this country are not going to Mexico or China, they are going to machines work in a manner efficient enough to drive down the prices of good so that more Atlasians can afford them.

My fellow Senators, we call this "progress" and in order for our country to keep progressing, as it always has, we must stop thinking about how we can take it back into the past.

During the campaign, I pledged to help mining communities and old base manufacturing towns, and I intend to keep that pledge, as I support renewing these areas so that they can escape old patterns.

I have asked Senator Al to help me in these efforts, and I hope that he will responde soon.  I, however, mst move against him on this issue.  I do not support this bill, my fellow Senators, and I ask all of you to make serious judgements about the future of our nation and the world when considering this peice of legislation.

I yield back the floor.

[12th Doctor]

The question that must be asked about NAFTA is a simple one; who's benifited from it?

Have the hardworking folks of my district benifited? The miles of rusting steelworks, ruined and burned out factories and dying coal towns in my district speak for themselves.
Have ordinary Mexicans benifited? No... of course not. Mexico still has an appalling poverty problem, wages are low, labor laws are lax, working conditions are poor and it is becoming economically dependent on Atlasia to a worrying extent.
So who has benifited? I speak for my constituents when I say the answer is obvious... Yet again the only people to benifit in a meaningful way are out of touch Corperate Fat Cat's. Why should our trade policy be dependent on the whims of a tiny minority, most of which belong behind bars anyway?

NAFTA is bad for Atlasia, bad for Mexico and, as Senator Gabu points out, even bad for "Free Trade"... and I support it's repeal.

Senator, that has nothing to do with NAFTA and you should know it.  While I admit to being touched by your appeal and I feel a great deal of your pain on this issue... I must say that ending Free Trade with Japan or the EU would go further to bringing the steel factories back.

It is however, my opinion that free trade between free nations is beneficial for all peoples of the world as nations that come to rely on each other economically come to rely on each other in other ways and thus, cooperation is born.  To cut ourselves off from the trade of others is a large step towards cutting ourselves off from the world.

While I agree that we should look to further review of those portions of the Agreement involving Mexico to figure out how we can bring a great benefit there, the benefits of this agreement in Atlasia have been long felt by her people.

The fact is that most manufacturing jobs in this country are not going to Mexico or China, they are going to machines work in a manner efficient enough to drive down the prices of good so that more Atlasians can afford them.

My fellow Senators, we call this "progress" and in order for our country to keep progressing, as it always has, we must stop thinking about how we can take it back into the past.

During the campaign, I pledged to help mining communities and old base manufacturing towns, and I intend to keep that pledge, as I support renewing these areas so that they can escape old patterns.

I have asked Senator Al to help me in these efforts, and I hope that he will responde soon.  I, however, mst move against him on this issue.  I do not support this bill, my fellow Senators, and I ask all of you to make serious judgements about the future of our nation and the world when considering this peice of legislation.

I yield back the floor.

Soulty, you are deluded if you think NAFTA is in any way free trade. it's regulations, as Gabu pointed ou,t drive up health care costs, harm our competitivity, and deprives us of our soberany. NAFTA uses free trade rethoric, but it's not free trade in teh true acception of the word.

I will admit that my knowledge of the document is a bit more limited than I would like.  Perhapes I have nievely assumed that "Free Trade" means "Free Trade".  If you can present proof f your allegations, I would reconsider.

Mind you, I am not talking about the usual quid pro quo that is involved in an agreement, I must see where there exists a particular anti-Atlasian, anti-free trade bias.

Mainly, however, I am tired of people blaming trade for all of our problems.  I appologize for having assumed that to be your motive.

[12th Doctor]

After doing more of my homework on the subject, I must conclude that NAFTA represents the worst of what Free Trade, Protectionism and whole-sale disregard for Atlasia's interest have to offer.

I join Senator Bono on this bill, provided that, as the bill states, new trade aggreements be worked out seperatly between the nations involved linking Canada to Atlasia, Atlasia to Mexico and Mexico to Canada.

It is not right that so many people, here and abroad, are paying such a costly price for this agreement, and it must be revoked immediatly.

[12th Doctor]

This will meet a Veto from me for sure.

Problem is, Mr. President, that NAFTA is not free trade, but rather nothing more than a jumble of regulations that do not benefit Atlasia, or her neighbors.

[12th Doctor]

And yes, I am aware that I am currently sitting in the John Kerry seat, I was for NAFTA and now oppose it.  That is not true, however, I was uncertain about NAFTA in the past and defended it against what I thought was an all out assult on Free Trade from the "Buchananites".  I was wrong.

[12th Doctor]

Can we vote now?

[12th Doctor]

I'd simply like to point out that unilateral withdrawal from a trade agreement that is critical to the economic policies of our two neighbors is a horrible idea.

A better idea is to mandate that the State or Treasury Department enter into negotiations to reform NAFTA, and that the Senate lay out four or five key changes that will make the deal more of a legitimate free trade agreement.

I say this because peeing on Mexico and Canada makes my job a little harder.

I understand your concern, Mr. Secretary, that is why I demanded that this not end until seperate agreements are worked out.

[12th Doctor]

Aye

[12th Doctor]

I ask that we vote to override the President's veto of this bill.