Central American Free Trade Agreement Bill

[Bono]

I'm glad both senators from the southeast expressed their total oposition to this surrender of our sovereignty.

[Bono]

Free trade should not need treaties.

I would be glad to get rid of tariff barriers. Unfortunately, other countries aren't so likely to do the same. Hence, treaties are realistically necessary.

Most benefits on lowering trade barriers are on the party lowering them.

[Bono]

§ 11 of Section 5 of Article I of the Atlasian COnstitution forbids the Senate to extend the time extent of patents. However, Chapter 15 of the treaty requires treaty signatories to allow software patents, extend Copyright protections to 70 years after the author's death, and make it illegal to produce 'circumvention devices' for protected works.
Now if the honorable Senators are commited to your oath of honor to defend the Atlasian Constitution, surely you couldn't vote for this egregious circumvent.

[Bono]

§ 11 of Section 1 of Article I of the Atlasian COnstitution forbids the Senate to extend the time extent of patents.

Forgive me, Mr. Governor, but Section 1 of Article I does not appear to have a clause 11. If there is indeed such a clause in the Constitution, then I do apologize to the Senate, but the treaty would of course be null and unconstitutional.

Boo-hoo, I meant section 5.
Fixed.

[Bono]

Boo-hoo, I meant section 5.

Ah, I see.

Well, copyrights already extend to seventy years after the author's death, so Chapter 15 has no effect in that case. The other two clauses do not seem to have any implication with regard to extensions of time, but please correct me if I am wrong.

Oh, dang, I just made a total ass out of myself.

[Bono]

I would just like the Senate to know that I have made an offer (several days ago) to certain other Senators that will hopefully end this farce.

Aw uh.

[Bono]

I urge the President to decline to sign this until we confirmation from the GM that the other countries will agree to lower their restrictions and barriers against our products.

Would you wait until other people stoped hitting themselves in the head with a hammer to stop hitting yourself in the head with a hammer?

[Bono]

Siege40

What have the other countries decided, Sam?

If they decline to the agreement we have just shot ourselves in the foot.

No. they have. We get cheaper goods, they get nothing.